The Weight of Absence

In the quiet folds of January’s chill, I wrote a letter, my heart laid bare, To Kate, my friend, my kindred spirit still, Whose laughter once danced in the air. You were my world, a family of two, You and Diego were my guiding stars, Through storms and sunshine, we always knew, Our bond was eternal, without any scars. But shadows loomed, anxiety bloomed, Low self-esteem whispered cruel lies, I wondered often, in the silence consumed, If I was an anchor or merely a guise. You filled my days with kindness and light, Your feistiness sparked a flame in my soul, But then came Sebastian, and turned day to night, You slipped through my fingers, lost all control. You were so brave, independent and free, But with him, you faded, a stranger became, I watched as you changed, my heart couldn’t see, The friend I adored was lost to the game. I wanted your happiness, truly I did, But your laughter grew soft, your spirit confined, And I feared the day when you’d lose what you hid — A heart full of love, now marred and maligned. What happens when he leaves? Will you remember The friend who stood steadfast, the one who believed? Or will you forget, this warmth of December, The love that was real, though it was deceived? Kate, my dear friend, I wish you could see, I cared more than words could ever convey, Not for a title, but for the soul inside, I cherished you wholly, with joy and dismay. If he was your choice, I’ll step back in the rain, With heavy hearted ink, I’ll bear the weight, But know this, my friend, through joy or through pain, I stand here still, for you, there’s no hate. So I close this letter, with love wrapped in scars, Hoping you find your way back to the light, Among the memories, our lingers of stars, In the echoes of laughter, may our spirits unite. In the quiet of loss, friendship may bend, But true love remains, even when paths part ways, And someday, dear Kate, we may find the end Of this chapter we’ve written, through sorrowful days.