“Always remembered” you said to me
on your last night home
Friends, old and new, stood around
feeling mutual



eager, nervous, wistful






sad






no one ready to say






goodbye


smoke swirled up, dancing
before hitting the ceiling

we laugh,


“remember when we did this





I saw that





you told me…?”


the stories, memories


retold

held meaning, entwined in words

spoken by tired mouths


we all knew change
was a part of life





but I never wanted





to say goodbye

on your last night



home, I missed you before




you were gone