Coupling (for Noah)

you broke his heart
you broke mine

you left him
you left me

we were discarded
we two

left in your wake

deprived of the sunlight
of your smile

denied the bliss
of your favor

we sought comfort
in one another

we found only melancholy

we began to choke on the rising tide
of our collective bitterness

we let go of you, for
you could not save us
anyway

we swam in opposite directions

and now i see him sometimes
walking barefoot along the shore

we walk quietly together
looking out over the grey sea

we do not ever mention
the time we almost drowned

and saved ourselves
by letting go