Still

Every night I return to those deep, still waters 
Every night I float in them and forget the world 
A black blanket, filled with white dots, wheels overhead 
The calm envelops me till only the lament remains 

Pressure stoppers my ears, my heartbeat a quiet drum 
The gentle bobbing of waves tries to soothe me to sleep 
But even the water’s cold kiss does not erase the deep cuts 
It does nothing to lift the giant’s foot crushing my chest 

In the stars above I see endless repetitions of us 
Of your tired smile in the morning, so bright 
Of your unruly hair, as fierce a foe as any other 
How I long to sit in awe of you, just one more time. 

I feel the tears well up and hope, beg, and pray 
That the weight on my chest will push me under 
That I might fill my lungs with deadly water 
Instead of drowning in every memory of you 

Your quiet, hard-earned surety in yourself 
And the ever-present challenge to any who might doubt 
And the way you trusted me sometimes, a little 
To cherish you when you did end up doubting yourself 

I saw it all, because that has ever been my blessing 
And seeing as much as I was allowed to see 
I had only ever one option to choose at all 
And I came to love you, too fast and fierce for reason

I see now, as I guessed then, that it was hopeless 
From the moment I knew you, we saw the doom coming 
And still we dove right in, as if we never had before 
And still we were doomed, despite our very best hopes 

Should we have refrained? 

Should we have let reason smother us? 

Now I drift these still waters and still, I do not regret 
Even thinking, fearing, that only I loved you, I don’t regret 

How the morning sun caught your freckles 
How every line was worthy of a poem
How your voice was the only sound I needed 
How I still drift in those grey eyes of yours 

I should not be allowed love 
I always want to drown in it.