A Glad Goodbye

If only we could walk together;
talk of things - the songs we've loved;
written words that moved us,

I'd stand beside you by the river,
gazing at the drifting water; Willows 
dripping, Hazels tempting squirrels

there to gather stocks of cobs 
to bury autumn for the winter, 
and I would hoard the memories;

sow them in a quilt of hope
to stave off lonesome shivers;
soak the tears that blossomed

when I missed you,
I would kiss your proffered cheek;
be happy with goodbye

because we'd met the once,
walked and stood together
by the water, talking, 

but 'if only' is another way
of saying, never,
even when it paints a pretty picture.