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.