Void Poem by Maya Hanson

I wanted to save him

But as I lean back in my seat
trying to reach his past
trying to catch his dark cloud in a bottle
and throw it in the sea
He refuses to open his mouth…
he can't
know me.

I tried to get him to
stay.
But he rushes past my outstretched hand
shouting into the void
saying he can't love
saying he's given up.

Helpless,
I try to smile when he laughs
when he talks
when he breathes
but he has me
giving up too.

His hand is smoke
when I try to hold it
he's already halfway gone

I wanted so badly
to save him,
to be his rock
to keep him from
giving in to the void

But he
fell and
fell and
fell
I watched.