The Tie Between

Alone in the crowd with little reason for cheer:

the gangplank drawn, the mooring loosed—as

if we break all ties that draw us near.

I’ll hide from you the threatening tear,

and wave and smile what I do not feel to

give you reason to cheer.

Time is sailing on with you; I fear

it will leave me behind only to rue

those moments I shied to draw you near.

And now you’ve gone and left me here,

the wake of your dreams trailing through

the fog of “soon”—small reasons to cheer.

Word from you! My waiting ear

has caught a tone I’d thought lost to new

horizons. The distance is great—yet you seem near.

In your voice I now can hear

what before was only in your eyes. Who knew

that when you were far I’d have reason to cheer?

It’s the distance between us that draws us near.