I Missed You

you've long gone love lost in boxes
slid under beds, on shelves, in closets
you've hid their presence to evade
the costs you know you owe to pay

their letters and photographs you keep
the tokens given from others that seep
into your heart's growing storage room
scripts of romances you never let bloom

crystal ashtray and trash and treasure
jewelry and gifts you chose not remember
feathers and trinkets adorned years ago
you try but can't add up the things you don't know

you're not sure why you're looking here
or what about the past makes you unclear
is it consuming fear the chances you've missed
or wistful thinking what others used to insist?

pert kisses of lipstick on letters you wrote
missing stamps where you never got to post
reading them you recall innocent intentions
and things you now wished you'd mentioned

one stand out letter finds your fingers
reading each word its potency lingers
its prose sinks in and you decide confess
you then let this one go and now want redress

even though it's dated five years prior
you're determined to stoke the fire
it's not as heightened now; your ego
a heart once disowned now willing to show

with the letters scattered out on your bed
you try remember the last thing you said
reaching for the phone you know the number
dialing, you pretend you were their only lover

rings add up and as about given up hope
a familiar voice answers the call, hello?
and you pause a second, whilst it hits you
you say hi, your name, then I missed you