Loneliness and I
are well acquainted,
but you cannot call us
friends.
She always knows
just when to drop in
(smiling, appraising).
Often, I don’t expect her;
other times,
I greet her at the door.

Emptiness and I
are intimate,
but you cannot call us
lovers.
There is no love in her gaze
as she memorizes
every detail of my body,
mapping out
her conquered isle.

Abandon and I
have been inseparable
since I stopped seeing sparkles
in the fallen snow.
She is not someone
who will fade away,
for she and I
were always destined
to find each other.

You could call us
soulmates.