old flame

by Stick
(UK)

Yesterday we met
Almost 26 years to the day
And I was 19 again
Tongue tied, clumsy and naïve.

We stole half an hour
Over coffee, then a vodka
In a venue unknown
Fleeting and uncertain we shared our lives.

You watched me
And looked right into me
And my heart ached
And for one moment we had never been apart

Then it was over
You had to go to Selfridges
I had to drive home
Like two magnets pulled apart.

We got up to go.
You walked a short way
before you kissed my cheek
then held me close for a second.

Then we parted
And my throat closed with grief
And I could not swallow
And I walked away down the street

not knowing
if I would ever see you again.
But knowing
that I would still love you for a lifetime.