Farewell, Angel

The petals felt clammy on my sweaty neck

The airport is a muggy asylum

Or penitentiary. A pen. A promise.

I, a lonely soul with my half-crushed lei

Trailed tiredly through

Security lines of faces, red lights, and beeps

I looked behind and saw her

Wearing the same sweater.

Gray. Grasping at ropes that separate

Me and her.

Her face half smiling, half pinched.

Familiar. Homely. Broken.

“Bye, brother. Take care, brother.”

She called out. I could barely hear her voice

I caught my breath and choked

As I held on to the lei and dragged my suitcase

Across the sinister floor

Towards the gates of strangers.

I glanced back and saw her. Still.

Still waving. Still gray.

I, with the crowd

Snaked my way to oblivion as I passed

The gates. Where my lei snapped

And hit the ground.

And the suitcase crushed

The buds. Torn. I watched in utter horror

As petals rained down the machine

And the white tiles. I glanced back and saw

Her figure disappearing behind

faces, red lights, and beeps.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.