~ End of the Empire ~

Smoke finally clearing
As our love lies smashed to pieces
In ruin, I stand among the rubble
“It’s over,” logic tells me. “There’s no repairing this…“
“Not this time…”

Time to finally move on
And drift out of each other’s lives
To become memories and recounted stories
Perhaps even wonders of what might have been
On some quiet future nights
When the heart is feeling restless
But nothing more than that.

I start heading outward
But can’t help but find myself stopping
And picking up the pieces of our scattered castle
Holding them in my hands.

Memories of cooking together
Shared laughter by the fire
Dog walks in the woods
Soft kisses on the cheek

One by one, I pick them up
And thoughts of rebuilding
Soon enter my foolish mind
As I stand alone in this wasteland
Studying the fractured remains
Occupying this empty space
These fingers numb with the feeling
Of knowing some things can’t be fixed

But holding onto them, anyway.