barely.

Your birthday drifted by

While my thoughts,

Occupied by you, forever you,

Wondered and wandered over

What you might be doing

(or Who)

I remember days when

Promises seemed to be forever

When love was living on purely being

Itself, and nothing more

Or less

But now it’s less, forever less.

And I am caught in a forever without you,

I too am foreverless-

 A pun of my own creation,

Staring

            S t a r i n g

 Staring

At my phone, waiting.

That I might evoke pity, love,

Even anger-

That I might evoke need in you

To reach out and ask

If I still live-

So that, my love,

I can tell you: barely.

And not enough,

That facades are tiresome,

And I am keeping them,

But,

Barely.