Lost Love

By: Kyle Elden

when you can still taste
the traces of a broken dream
sweet in your mouth

when you still salivate
with desire
the raw honey
of what could have been
still golden
and sticky on your lips

when your face is tear streaked
shining in the light of
the morning sun

when you play the same sad song
on repeat in your parked car

when you feel like you’ve hit bottom
face planted against black asphalt
shards of glass embedded in your skin
thrown hundreds of feet from where
you thought you were going
from that place that marks the
impact of the crash
marks the moment when
everything changed

when you lift your head
and notice how the entire world continues
to live

when you see the bright blue sky
still against a kaleidoscope of green leaves
brushstrokes of pine, birch, and maple
swaying gently
when you listen carefully
and begin to hear
a splattering of sounds
the humble song of a bluebird
a truck grumbling up the avenue
the church bell calling for worship
the low buzz of a bee gathering nectar

when you are ready
you begin to move forward
grabbing hold of the outstretched hand
standing up
steadying yourself
one foot in front of the other

when you look back from this distance
tracing your hands softly over what once was
you feel the rugged mark of that love
engraved on your heart