It Was the Last Great Day
It was the Last Great Day
The first time I decided in my heart I wanted coffee,
And not just straight black, like I usually preferred
With two Irish creamers
And a small mixing straw
I began to think about you,
And I decided in my heart that I was okay with it
I was okay with you leaving,
Without a goodbye
It was the Last Great Day
And you were lingering around the emptying room
I was sipping the coffee, editing a poem on the laptop
It tasted too sweet, but I kept drinking
In that uncomfortable coffee delirium
And before I knew it, there you stood
I knew it was you—I didn’t have to look up
But I did
I didn’t have to get a coffee,
But I did
You began to talk to me,
As if we were friends,
As if we were actually connected in some small, minuscule way
I was ready
For the goodbye
It was the Last Great Day
You said, “Hope you had a good time.”
I nodded, smiled feebly, and your sad smile melted me
You said, “It’s moments like these that get to me.”
I nodded, understanding you
You stood there, struggling for words
I closed the laptop and sucked in a breath
You said, “It reminds me that I have to go back to work again.”
I said softly, standing, “I get you…”
You looked away
I died a little, setting the coffee down
I knew I shouldn’t have gotten it
I hate coffee with cream
I hate those glistening eyes that tell me so much more than what you try to hide
The goodbye never came,
On the Last Great Day
It will be the last talk for a long while,
And I am okay with that
I am perfectly okay with that…
Because, next time,
You won’t affect me
You won’t sweeten me
I’m taking my coffee black
Copyright © Laura Breidenthal | Year Posted 2015
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