The sun on a winter’s day,
The smell of salt-water at the beach,
The despair of needing someone to stay,
Knowing that they were only going to leave.

Bags packed for a long trip,
Kisses on cheeks and well intentioned promises,
The inability to prevent tear-drips,
The clouds forewarning and ominous.

The searing beauty of pure laughter,
The grin given before self-sacrifice,
The sun setting and the room growing darker,
The words hidden inside people’s eyes.

Flowers pressed between letter pages,
Uncomforting words that all meant well,
The sudden sobs and sudden rages,
Stories they’d never be able to tell.