Today is full of yesterday’s joys.
Had I known how fleeting,
how momentary they would be
I would have held them closer
so that today
I would remember more clearly
the sound of your laughter,
the light in your eyes,
the timbre of your voice.
I would have written down each word,
Taken pictures of every smile.
I would have lingered over each touch,
let my fingers rest on your wrist
to feel the steady pulse
speaking of life.
I would have been more fully present for each moment
had I known they were the last we would spend;
had I known all I would be left with
was a heart empty of everything
but yesterday’s joys.