The Love Troll

It knew of the unknowable distance

that grew between us,

but God knows how it got there -

one day it wandered in,

pinned its tenancy

to the inside of my chest

and sat there, observing,

oblivious to nothing.

It was a keen musician,

keeping tempo with my tempo,

slept when I slept,

read when I read.

I continued as normal

amid the newness of letting go

with an awareness of it 

that snuck past definition.

Once, on the way to college,

I saw its reflection

holding steady in the window

of a passing train 

and I found a privilege
to the age I was present in.

It ended its stay at the next stop,
but before it was lost to the crowd,

it looked back 

and we smiled to each other

knowing that the dialogue 
between me and you -

however unspoken -
would continue. 

And that was the last
I saw of it

without ceremony
but with rhythm in its shoes.