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                         I

I woke up this morning: pale, blue dawn - winter comes.
The sound of your breath all around me, lingering.
Your warmth, tucked beside me.
My eyes fluttering while rolling over -
                                                               You are not there, of course.

Slowly the blinking - the glare of daylight;
Slowly the silence - warning: it's too early.
Quickly the snuggle against a pillow barricade:
Like a jolting disturbance - dreaming resumes.
                                                               Faint shivers, warm touches fading.


Sleep numbs the world into safety once more.


                                   II

A gloomy afternoon, pouring rain,
the smell of wet streets, coolly pressing my skin.
I tug the fleece over nodding muscles: gone.
Then -
                                                                ­an echoing ripping me into the falling rain.

A voice that is yours in subconsciousness-
I hear you within these walls: my heart pounds.
Sleep ruptured and dreams dissolve;
You are not here amongst the rain:
                                                           ­     And, I am not soaked because of the downpour outside.


                                   III

There's no one here.
Just a bird beyond the window.

Where are you, then?
You used to be here, I recall.
Or were you...
                                                          ­      were you ever really here at all?


                                   IV
Some days are like this:
awakening, reaching for your hand;
slumbering wears off with each blinking second:
And I forget you inside fading dreams.
I get up to face my days,
                                                           ­     feeling like there is no one I miss.                                                     \