i don't know you,
as you are a stranger.

your arm brushed against mine
when you passed me by,
and i watched you carry yourself
with confidence i hadn't seen before.

your face is blurry,
but our nights spent embedded
in flame fragments and warmth
are crystal clear.

i can't remember your voice
but the way you made me feel
is imprinted in my mind
the way footprints line seashores.

the waves run up the shore
and i'm standing there,
waiting for them to catch me.
they catch everyone at some point.

i hear a voice,
and i cannot tell its owner,
but i can feel the traces of your words
sinking deeper into my core,
and the water fails to wash them away.

as i turn around, i match a face to the voice,
but i can't see anything but the fragments
of the fire that once burned
within these four walls.

and as you brushed past me,
i felt your arm and its warmth,
and your eyes met mine,
and your confidence fell.

and i knew it was you,
as we are now strangers
with memories.