Sometimes I would just watch him drift away. 

And disappear into words he’d never tell me. 

Get lost in conversations in which I had no role.

But I always understood.

I understood that between the real world and his own, 

Between him and the oceans in his mind,

He would be searching for himself.

Looking for that elusive ‘unknown’ to make sense of his being; 

A being that refused to be personified through what has been seen

And what has been known alone. 

But needed ears that would listen to what was never said, 

and eyes clear enough to envision instead of see. 

A being made of dreams yet to be dreamt, and sins not yet born.

So when he says “huh” for the twelfth time 

because your words only danced around his ears. 

Do not get upset.

Just repeat.

He’ll hear you this time. 

Maybe even smile.  

Mostly at himself, but partially at you, 

because he’ll notice he’s being rude again. 

He’ll never say this out loud, 

because like always his words are just for him. His world, is never for you.

But that’s okay.

Because one day he’ll find himself between one world and the next, 

and he’ll reach for your arm to anchor him to a shore he can trust. 

A land in which for mere seconds he may stand without falling.

Where his body can lie still instead of float adrift at sea.

And he’ll smile just for you,

and he’ll say those hidden words with his deep voice. 

And they’ll dance around your ears, like children in the sun, 

and you’ll be glad that you repeated those thirteen times.

Cause it’ll be just right.

And then after that moment, he’ll go again; 

his words running home, 

the laughter in his melody fading in the air like a broken note. 

But it’ll be alright. Because you’ll feel it was worth the glimpse.

So as I speak, I’ll watch him drift away. 

He was never in my grip.

By: WerepupJeremy

Photography by: Melissa Cheng