Nourish, Nourish the Quiet Goodbye

Photo by Krissia Cruz on Unsplash

Every first and second cry
Every mumbled “hello, handsome”
when lovers’ eyes are closed
Every beat in every chest
Every clap of one, two hands
Every whimper in the night
Every birdsong there at dawn,
each heavy breath,
each false silence,
each subtle hum
riding the nape of waves,
waiting and hanging in the air
to then be held in-hand
and live like fireflies on shelves
– waiting not to be seen,
but praying to be heard.