Strangers

At the airport

I thought kindness had its own gravity.

I thought a decade meant something.

I thought two people exchanging words

could build a small, steady bridge

between strangers. 

But you were a borrowed lighthouse

pretending to guide ships,

when in truth you only liked the lantern

when I held it for you. 

One rumor,

one whisper,

and your hands let go of the rope.

You watched me fall

and told others the wind pushed me. 

I see you now.

A man made of fragile mirrors

who feared the reflection

of someone who never played your games. 

I guess we'll go back to being strangers then.

Which is strange, as we don't even know eachother 

I have no interest in speculations about strangers,  

but it seems you've already made up your mind 

about me.

The mind does have a way of 

filling-in the blanks 

Still, a conversation would have been nice 

but I guess, even that is too much to ask 

I've never liked goodbyes so I'll say good day

We both have our planes to catch 

our destinations never aligned anyway.

You got your baggage; I got mine 

the truth is a carryon,

I set down as we stood in line.. 

you can't take that with you

that is mine. 

It holds the parts of me that were sincere. 

I reclaim what you mistook

for weakness.

It was never yours.

Good day, stranger 

Author's Note

All my thoughts are my own. My lived experiences, imaginations, dreams etc etc..

Reviews

[red93]

Very interesting writing Roma, and again I like the way you make yr audience work at filling in the gaps in the narrative. What is left unsaid in a Piece of Poetry can often be as important as what is said. Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[RomaJ]

Red, thank you. I agree… sometimes what’s unsaid carries its own meaning, and readers will fill the spaces with their own experiences. I appreciate that, I do the same too, when I read a piece. It makes each interpretation interesting and meaningful.
Roma

[red93]

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Soren]

Relationships so complex, hard to understand oneself let alone another. The chances of two people's needs, abilities, styles aligning for longer than a short while, while passion lasts, is minimal, yet some do. This write is raw and bleeds onto the page. It is identifiable and sore, it hurts but like all wounds will heal if one does not die. One accepts the scars as a passage of life. Very emotional and bitter sweet.

[RomaJ]

Hello Soren. Thankyou for reading and sharing this. You’re right… relationships, even friendships, can be complicated. People don’t always align the way we hope, even after years of good moments. But that’s life, I guess. Things hurt, they heal, and we carry the lesson with us like a small scar. Poetry comes from a raw place, writing helps sort through the feelings and then let it go. I appreciate your thoughts and insight.
Roma

[Soren]

You are most welcome and your poetry carries this emotion in it. It is what I love about it.

[Yasmin]

The metaphor of the airport is great. Each have their own baggage. I like the carryon, the other picks up. The speaker reclaims it back, as it holds the parts of them that were sincere. "good day" instead of"goodbye " is great! I will use that. Very good. I write senryu, it's three lines, noone will take it personally. I would be nervous to post something like this. It's very good, creative writing. But snowflakes might melt or have a melt down. Simply, because some egos are so big; they would think or make it about them. Courageous and creative writing. Next time, I'm at the airport I'll be sure to keep my carryon with me at all times. I wouldn't want anyone trying to take it from me. :)

[RomaJ]

Hello, thankyou for this. I appreciate how you read it..especially the part about creative writing not needing to be taken personally. It’s refreshing when someone understands that a piece can come from a moment, a mood, or a metaphor, and not necessarily be aimed at anyone. The airport idea just popped into my mind and I ran with it haha. I’m glad the “good day” landed too. And yes, definitely hold onto your carry-on ...some things are meant to stay with us. Thank you again for your thoughtful comment.
Roma

[---]

What a well articulated departure, Roma.

I’m of a different mind, in many ways, though I can appreciate how thoughtfully you’ve crafted your words.

I think the sad truth about strangers is that they’re indifferent to us. A world of strangers, disconnected from our choices, or motives, our memories or quality of character.

As sad as it is to say, it’s my thinking that most strangers are exceptionally good at forgetting one another, and that your well crafted goodbye is equally as likely to fall on deaf ears - hurrying, so quickly to their gate, that they hadn’t really bothered to listen.

I don’t hold people in the highest regard though, Roma, and you’re welcome to disagree with me.

Excellently expressed, either way; I hope it makes the impact you’d wanted it to.

-Ook

[RomaJ]

Ook, hello. It's good to see you. I saw you closed your account. I hope everything is well with you. Thank you for reading and sharing your view. I understand what you mean about strangers and indifference. For me, this piece is not about hoping someone hears it. What strangers think is not my responsibility. Their assumptions belong to them, not to me. The mind fills in blanks when people are too afraid to ask simple questions or they simply just like drama and attention. That says more about their character, ego, and insecurities than anything about me. I don't speculate or gossip about strangers. That is not how I live. This write was meant to be my humor and perspective on strangers gossiping about strangers. I think it's funny and strange but humans tend to do strange things haha. The people who actually know me are what matter, the rest can drift exactly where they belong. Thank you for your thoughts. Its much appreciated.
Roma

[---]

Ah, I see. Well good luck with that,

[RomaJ]

Well, I'm having drinks with friends and playing cards. So I'll take the luck. I made a toast, here's to Strangers. haha cheers

[---]

Lol. How nice for you and your friends. : )

[RomaJ]

Yes. We're drinking smirnoff. It's orange. Kinda taste like that crush soda. It's not bad. First time, I drank that. I prefer whiskey but it's ladies night haha. You have a good evening and thank you for reading