Hair.

Another dream has come and gone.

This one, both like and unlike the others,
featured you.

You weren’t doing anything particular,
at least not at the start.

It was our first interaction in a long time,
but it felt so natural.

There was some greater plot at work,
this dream not wholly about us.

There was murder, destruction,
and a job needing to be done, but

I only remember us.
I remember you.

I sat on the couch,
or, moreover, laid

with my head on the cushion
and both legs flung over the back.

It was like old times,
sort of.

I forgot what my mission was
and where I needed to go.

I forgot that I was strong,
that I was powerful.

I sank into the comfort
of us,

but it wasn’t comfort,
exactly.

It was an unknowing
that I embraced.

Then, you interrupted
the stagnant air of

our quiet moment.
You reached out to touch my hair.

Gently, you pulled locks
toward you, and

I stayed still,
unsure of what this meant.

Outside, a war
carried on without our notice.

I looked at you,
wanting to say something.

Only, your eyes were so sad;
you looked lost.

I’d only ever seen that face
in the mirror.

I wanted to comfort you,
to say,

“Are you okay?
What happened to us?”

Yet, I awoke
with the questions

still on my lips.

Would.

If I was to send you every poem I have ever written about you, would you read them?

All of my questions, musings, and feelings would be free for your interpretation.
Each word, each twinge of my heart, would be available for scrutiny.

Part of me thinks it would solve my dilemma — my dilemma being that this is harder than anticipated.
If only you knew, I’ve thought, then I’d have clarity, somehow.
Clarity on what? I’m not sure.

I don’t expect you to change your feelings, but if, for some reason, you felt the same,
maybe, maybe we could work something out.

This is a pipe-dream, I know. We split for reasons that don’t fall into the traditional categories.
We are an enigma.

But, I like the hypotheticals.
It’s ironic, I lean towards the warmth of imaginary situations and shiver in the present coldness.

One day, I’ll learn to create my own fire, but today, I sit within the flames built by dreams.