I will not get to hear
or hold my dear
because it is clear
that my deepest fear
has become reality.

I wasted so much time
pretending to be fine
until I had fooled
everyone and myself.

But when the night falls
and the lightning crashes
when my breath
barely catches
and I am force to see
warm flesh go cold
of once young body
that is now broken
and old.

Then I will wish
I could turn back time,
take all the lessons
that where sown
and grown
in my maturing mind
and value those who
I wasn’t ready to lose.