What Love Was

I held you close

For a moment,

For a fleeting moment.

I held you near

For a lifetime;

For an entire lifetime

I felt your heart beating

Close to mine

So very close to mine

I was sheltered

In your warm embrace

Through the night

The endless night

I felt your breath

Upon my cheek

As we lay together

Entwined together

I stood with you

Through stormy weather

That seemed timeless

As if there were no limits.

I was struck with the truth

The immutable truth

That this was rare

A unique and shining jewel

Your dreams were mine

In silent understanding

About everything;

Encompassing everything

We planned for years

We looked forward to decades

We believed in growing old

Together,

Yes, always together.

You closed your eyes

No longer to gaze into mine

For so long a time,

For an eternity.

My life stopped then

In that instant

In a matter of a second

I ceased to exist