The Future I Met Briefly - By Rakhel Camhille Euvhi Pagsanjan

Written By: Rakhel Camhille Euvhi Pagsanjan

Category: Poetry - Free Verse

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Rakhel Camhille Euvhi Pagsanjan graces us with a deeply introspective piece titled "The Future I Met Briefly". Submitted under the Poetry - Free Verse category, this work is part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar. The poem delves into themes of fleeting encounters and the profound impact of imagined futures. Within its stanzas lies a rich tapestry of emotion, exploring the nuances of love and the heart's unspoken longings.

About the Work

"The Future I Met Briefly" unfolds with a delicate balance of hope and melancholy, illustrating the ephemeral nature of imagined futures. Rakhel Camhille Euvhi skillfully employs free verse to capture the essence of a love that was never fully realized. Through vivid imagery and a reflective tone, the poem evokes a sense of longing and introspection, inviting readers to ponder the silent spaces left by unfulfilled possibilities.

The Future I Met Briefly

Original Submission by Rakhel Camhille Euvhi Pagsanjan

The Future I Met Briefly

Written by : Rakhel Camhille Euvhi Pagsanjan

For a little while,

I knew you.

Not in the way people know

someone they've held for years,

not through birthdays or photographs,

or stories we would one day tell.

I knew you in a different way—

in a moment,

in a feeling,

in the quiet rearranging

of a future I thought I understood.

For a little while,

my world had room for you.

I imagined all the ordinary things:

the days that would come,

the moments I would keep,

the love I had yet to give.

Funny how the heart can build a home

before life has even made a place for it.

I was happy.

And afraid.

Somewhere beneath the happiness,

there was a feeling I couldn't silence,

a quiet little voice

I wished I had been wrong about.

I wanted to believe

that everything would be all right.

I wanted time

to prove my fear mistaken.

But time did not wait for me

to understand.

One moment,

there was a future

I could almost reach.

Then, just like that,

I was standing in a life

I hadn't prepared to return to.

And the hardest part

was how quickly the world moved on

from something

that had changed mine completely.

There were no years of memories

for me to look back on.

No long list of stories

to tell someone about you.

Only a handful of moments,

a thousand things I imagined,

and a love

that had nowhere left to go.

I don't know how to explain

missing someone

I barely had time to know.

Perhaps it's not only you I miss,

but all the ways

I never got to know you.

The sound of your laughter,

the little things you'd do,

the person you might have become,

the world I'd have discovered through you.

I miss the days

that never got to be ours,

the memories that never found their place,

the relationship I had already begun

to imagine in the quiet of my heart.

I miss the person

I thought I was becoming.

The one who would learn you,

grow with you,

find a thousand little ways to love you

that I haven't even discovered yet.

There was so much

I hadn't done.

So much love

I hadn't given.

And I think that's what hurts—

not only that our time was short,

but that I never got to find out

what our time could have been.

If there is another lifetime,

somewhere beyond this one,

I hope we find each other again.

I hope there is more time.

I hope I get to know you

in all the ways I couldn't here.

I hope I get to hold you,

to love you in the ordinary moments,

to build the kind of relationship

I had only just begun to imagine.

And maybe, in that life,

I won't have to wonder

what we could have been.

Maybe I'll finally get to find out.

Until then,

there is a little space in my heart

for someone I never got enough time to know,

and a love that never got the chance

to become everything it could have been.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a celebration of literary talent from around the world. This prestigious event provides a platform for poets and writers to share their unique voices and creative expressions. Participants explore a variety of themes and styles, contributing to a vibrant tapestry of global storytelling and poetic artistry.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rakhel Camhille Euvhi Pagsanjan for sharing "The Future I Met Briefly" with us. Your participation in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 enriches the poetic landscape and touches the hearts of readers. Thank you for allowing us to glimpse the beauty and depth of your creative vision.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.