the pain of no
by @roberta-compton-rainwater
I watch as you walk across campus
with your new love
not me
anymore
I’m treading water
keeping my heart above water
above the pain of no
in the gulf of neveragain
you wanted more than
so much more than
and decades later I suddenly know this
is changing no to know
it still hurts
c. 2025 Roberta Compton Rainwater