i carry your distance like a heartbeat
i am impatient for the day
when home stops being a lonely syllable
i whisper to empty rooms
and becomes instead
the soft geography
of our two bodies learning the same mattress
i ache for the hour
when late-night voices
no longer stretch thin across wires and time zones
but settle instead
into the warm hush
of your breath against my neck
until sleep arrives like an invited guest
and we tumble into it together
limbs tangled
dreams brushing shoulders
i hunger for the morning
when missing you
is no longer a sharp blue bruise
pressed beneath every rib
but only the sweet afterimage
of last night’s laughter
still glowing on my skin
i dream of the season
when we stop counting
the cruel arithmetic of days apart
(three hundred twelve
four hundred nineteen
five hundred eighty-seven)
and begin instead
the patient geometry
of days built side by side
brick of morning coffee
window of shared silence
roof of small domestic miracles
i cannot wait
(not politely
not gracefully
but with every impatient cell screaming)
for forever
to stop being a beautiful rumor
we tell each other at 3 a.m.
and start being
the ordinary miracle
of waking up
and finding you
still here
still mine
still us
until then
i keep your name
folded inside every breath
like a secret address
i am always walking toward…
🦋A
Long-distance relationships often bring a unique blend of challenges and emotions that many of us can relate to deeply. The poem beautifully captures the essence of carrying someone’s presence despite physical separation—like a heartbeat felt even when apart. I remember my own experience of being far from a loved one, where the days felt like a slow countdown. The 'cruel arithmetic of days apart' resonates especially, as every number represents a waiting period filled with hope and longing. What stands out here is the tender anticipation of turning distance into closeness—not just physically sharing space, but emotionally weaving lives together through moments like shared silences, morning coffees, and small domestic miracles. This imagery reminds me how even the simplest routines, when shared, become extraordinary markers of intimacy. Moreover, the poem’s desire to evolve from a 'beautiful rumor' of forever into a tangible reality speaks to the impatience many feel in love separated by time zones or circumstances. This sentiment encourages us to cherish every small connection, every whispered message, and the quiet presence of the person we love, even if they are not physically near. Personally, embracing this mindset helped me stay grounded during separation—it turned loneliness into a shared journey, an ongoing story where patience and hope became acts of love themselves. This poem invites readers to find beauty in the in-between moments, reminding us that love’s geography is not measured by distance but by the shared heartbeat of hearts intertwined across any divide.