homecoming

there you were,

sometime ago

and soon you’ve forgotten what once was,

soon you’ve lost it,

shoved it in the dingiest corners of your mind

and on your loneliest hours,

the only time you allow yourself to look back, you don’t 

you’ve successfully deleted its existence and its likeness to yours

-or so you think

little did you know,

it’s what kept you going all this time

despite repetitively trying to sabotage your lungs,

despite treading with only numbness for a feeling

you still went on

you’ve had my heart all along

there you were;

and here you are now,

like you never left

as if that night never took place at all

you’ve had my heart all along-

not in fragments but an entirety,

you never lost it

it was never taken away,

not even when they pulled us apart

on that ocean shore

when they grappled for me, 

struggling, fist after fist,

keeping me away from you

as i screamed and cried 

hurtling at them

trying to run back to you

it has always, 

always been yours

and always will be

even when you thought we have lost

when you thought the only traces left of me were my footprints on the sand 

and now we’re here,

the waves casting their tranquil song

like they always used to

and this feels like how it always should have been

all along, you never left my mind,

and you’ve never forgotten everything,

our entirety all just suppressed the whole time

so now i put my hand onto your chest,

your heartbeat the fluttering of butterfly wings under my palm

and though for now the reminder isn’t needed but darling,

i hope you never forget how to feel again

-i would always feel for you even when we’re oceans apart

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Cover Photo by Min An.