The last time I saw Liège
Was in the depths of a cold
October night: it was all
Fluorescent light coronas and
Sleeping trains as I peered
Around the pleated curtain.

There is no loneliness like
Being awake while the rest
Of the world sleeps;
There is no emptiness like
The absence of words in
Ever listening ears.

In my imagination, I would
Go to the ends of the Earth
For each and every one
Of them. In reality, my
Exhausted heart is relieved
That no one has asked me
To keep that silent promise.

What am I trying to achieve,
And for whom? Am I seeking
To atone for all the hurt
I have caused, or am I merely
Trying to be the person,
The friend, I hope I am
But fear I will never be?

The last time I saw Liège
Was at the beginning of
A descent into disappointment
From an honour I consistently
Failed to live up to: not the first,
Not the last, but one of many
More than I could ever count.

10/03/2019

Posted on 11/09/2019
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