Did You Almost?

By Sophie Lang

Did you almost reach for me?

Just for a moment –

when no one was looking,

when your thoughts weren’t yet lined up like soldiers,

when your guard was still sleeping,

and your heart

had a second

to speak.

Did you almost picture me

in the light of a morning

that wasn’t goodbye?

Did your hand twitch,

your chest ache –

just enough

to whisper,

stay?

Did you almost ask

what this was –

before deciding

it would hurt too much

if it became something

real?

Did you almost feel

what I am still feeling

now?

Because I swear,

for one moment,

your silence

felt like a choice

that nearly broke you too.

And I need to believe

that I was not the only one

whose soul

almost said:

yes.

By Sophie Lang