MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

I have to learn how to hold both—

the weight of your presence

and the sting of your goodbye.

How closure now lives

in the language we both understand,

how you were once a stranger,

and now you leave with pieces of me.

I don’t want to trail behind you,

nor do I want to move too far ahead.

Can we just stay right here?

Where we first met—

somewhere between newness and fate,

when your affirmations were holy,

and your laughter felt like an exhale.

Please do not become a shadow.

The bigger question is:

when you look out into the sea,

will you think of me?

My love lives at shore.

and if you ever long for me,

I hope you’ll meet me there.

About the Poem:

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE reflects on someone who’s already gone, but not entirely. It holds the weight of lingering love, the ache of unfinished chapters, and the fragile hope that maybe—just maybe—they’ll think of you, too.

I wrote this to explore the in-between space of connection and letting go. That emotional shoreline where we wait—not necessarily for someone to return, but for meaning to arrive.

If you've ever loved someone who couldn't stay, this one's for you.

Ever felt this way too? Drop a comment—I’d love to know.