noose

when the eyes meet
in that small divided second they
smile, cry, and love:
history written in pools
of liquid

they've laid together and
fought the great fights and
sailed through
the romantic moments
moments often
needed as
chores after the
love has gone dry like
rose pedals in their final moments

crushed
rose pedals, loveless, dry
captured in the diaries of the past

agony bears existence for the willing
and this noose only
grows tighter
with time