I still hear your voice
in my head
And in the voicemails I kept
singing happy birthday
or telling me I missed a spot
while pulling weeds
in the summer sun
I miss it all
I miss you
I wish I could tell you about everything
my classes
my friends
The boys I briefly fall in love with
and then quickly forget
I want to share my life with you
like I did when I was young
Yet you got old
Your skin wrinkled
And your eyes shone with age
Your words became memory
As you faded
As you declined
I wish I could have heard your voice
just one more time
held your hand
told you I love you
Sometimes life is cruel
And it’s unfair
You left before I got to say goodbye
And I saw you lying there
the husk of you
the meat case that held your soul
I miss you
more and more every day
Yet I say hello to the butterflies
to the flowers
to the clear skies
and when the sun feels warm on my skin
I say hello to that, too
for it reminds me of you
And if that’s all I can do
Then so be it
I will continue to say hello
to the things that remind me of you
until it hurts a little less
But I fear that day won’t come anytime soon
Until then, I’ll continue to say hello
to all the little things