The Space They Left

I saved a seat for you so long,

I learned to love the empty space,

And hummed the verses of a song

That time and silence would erase.

You used to be a steady light,

Or so my foolish eyes believed.

But looking back in clearer sight,

I see how deeply I was grieved.

For friendship isn’t hide-and-seek,

Where I am always left to find

A minutes' scrap within your week,

A fleeting afterthought of mind.

"Too busy," was the familiar refrain,

A shield you wore to keep at bay

The text, the call, the quiet pain

Of watching bonds just drift away.

So let it be. No anger here.

No bitter words to stain the past.

The view ahead is sharp and clear,

And freedom has arrived at last.

I close the door without a slam,

And walk into a warmer dawn.

I’m remembering just who I am—

I’m letting go, and moving on.

More Works by Nancy Ann Creed