sugar, melting

"Have you ever watched sugar
melt into tea?"

The question seemed to come out of nowhere
and I shook my head,
not sure where you were going
with your train of thought
content only
to be a part of it.

"It's like looking at air through a fire.
It's almost as though you could grasp it,
almost tangible
but not quite."

You tried to explain,
"It's like they both..."
you paused, looking for the right word
"they both look sweet."

I wasn't sure what you meant,
but nodded all the same.

You always confused me that way.

Alone in the kitchen that night
I took out the chipped blue mug
you drank your tea in
and watched the kettle on the stove
the heat rising around it's silver surface
evaporating around my reflection.

After I had poured the water
over the tea bag
watching the colours spread,
merge,
I thought of you.

I poured a spoonful of sugar
into the heat

And almost understood what you meant,
but not quite.