Love At A Distance

Love at a Distance

written by: Nigel de Costa

 

You sit with your legs crossed
at the far end of the bench
your hair up in a tight pony-tail,
body wrapped against the spring chill.

We watch in silence as a pair of drakes
fight for the right to mate,
bobbing under the surface of the river,
chasing each other between the pilings
of the old wooden jetty,
creating ripples that glint and sparkle
in the late afternoon sun.

I want to reach out and touch you,
play with your hair,
pull you close,
kiss you behind the ear,
nuzzle the nape of your neck,
inhale your scent,
hug you tight, as I might
in more normal times.

You turn to me and smile,
that smile,
your eyes bright,
but there’s a tear, just discernable
beneath your sunglasses.
Nothing, and really nothing,
needs to be said.