When Skies Are Gray
written by: Katie Alleena
I’ve had this poem in my heart for a while—
maybe even a lifetime.
Maybe even two.
The thing is, I’ve always
been walking this path adjacent to you.
I feel like part of my soul always knew we’d meet again.
Maybe I didn’t come back this time in the way
you expected.
Maybe neither one of us did.
I’m aware that this life is gray-cast,
its sunlight hidden behind clouds.
We sit
in the cold of our doubts
seeing storms forever on the horizon.
That’s what living gave us—
an endless struggle against seasons
as if the universe needs a reason to watch us
forget our umbrellas in the hall.
It’s not about sheltering, though.
Bad weather will always come.
When skies are gray, we risk the rain
because what’s a little storm in the face of a life
without light?
Yours, mine—ours.
The thing about clouds
is that there’s always light behind them—
sun, sure
or stars, or the moon.
Darkness doesn’t have to stop us
in our tracks, because eventually
said darkness will pass.
And I’ve held fast to that.
If I could press a button
and redo anything at all,
know this—
If the universe insists I carry these burdens,
I would not need
to stop and cry
quite as often.
Not when I know you’ll be there—
that light I forgot existed—
with your hand outstretched for mine.
- When Skies Are Gray - January 9, 2025
