One day you’ll be gone from this earth.

As you take your last dying breath you’ll think,

“Where was I all this time?”

You thought you found yourself

In a man who said he loves you.

You thought you found yourself

At the butt of a cigarette,

And at the bottom of a bottle.

You thought you found yourself

In the lustful stares,

Soft touches,

Rough touches,

Grabs,

Pulls,

Pushes,

And the faux love you thought was real

Because it’s the only love you’ve ever known.

However, in your final hours you’ll search harder.

You’ll look underneath every book,

Look inside every journal,

Examine every picture,

And listen to each playlist.

You’ll find yourself in every romance novel

That forced Niagara Falls to rush down your cheeks.

You’ll find yourself in every word you’ve written,

Revealing your true thoughts.

You’ll find yourself in every quote you’ve hung on your wall.

You’ll find yourself in all the laughs you’ve shared

With your friends who always put a smile on your face

Trying desperately to cling to as much joy as possible

Before it disappears as quickly as it came.

Looking back, you notice you had a small light inside

Hidden underneath a stranger.

The light is snuffed out now.