view from the corner of your couch

I stayed with you that summer,
loving you from the far end of your couch
cup of tea in my palms
and a welcoming smile on my lips
that I hoped could cross the gulf between us.

Later we imploded,
but in my heart I still carry
the softness of that early morning light
and your shirt even softer on my cheek.

The steam from that mug warms me still.

–Charla M. DelaCuadra