Like a Temple Bell

I came today to say goodbye, but

Behind my raw goodbye, memories

Are gouged in the heart of my palm.

Your skin to my touch, your taste on my tongue,

Your scent above all senses. A pure

And primitive sphere, enhanced by the

Seductive power of the psyche. A perfect

Phantasma, touching, but never filling the void.

An ever-seeking, never-ending pilgrimage

To claw at, but never clutch.

Just a moment out of reach.

Once, I opened my eyes and saw that

I was just a vessel, transporting you there.

  Alone together… Together alone

I went so willingly into your world.

It was a beautiful place, of extraordinary dreams.

But in the end, too many phantoms.

I come today to say goodbye, but

I feel like a temple bell, that resonates

Still, long long after it has been struck.

© Lynne Harris