You Were

whenever the smell of the evening made me
loose my place in a book
whenever ivy felt cool in the shade of the trees
you were
whenever leaves fell at my feet
and softly crushed with snow
you were
whenever there was piece of mind
whenever the body was whole
you were
whenever balloons were
whenever I had a calm, a light heart
you were
Even after the rains were
you were

Whenever the old wept bitter
for innocence
whenever the wind stung
I was
whenever a quiet sadness rested on
a neatly trimmed patch of sunflower
I was
when a man sailed atop a sea of
faces, hollow faces, and could not see
I was
Even after the flame dies
and there is none but
the shade of what was
I was

You were with me
ever am
I was
was not
did not stand beside
Ever-present in
my thoughts
my years
Till the year became less
the minutes pass to moments.
Even then
you were

whenever, wherever
I was
you were