I stood three feet away and couldn’t save you.
Stretched out my hands
and could not pull you
from the sea.
Ragged waves obscured your face.
I stood three feet away and
begged you back to shore.
Couldn’t tell if this salt
was mine or the sea’s.
Winds howled and thunder roared
mist stung like blood rushing
to sleeping limbs.
I stood three feet away when the sea
stood still.
Could still feel the empty spaces from your
fingers.
Nothing remained but me, the sea, and a memory.