I Have Written Your Name on the Inside of My Eyelids

I close my eyes and
I see you
And try to pretend you're not more beautiful each time
Your bright, mocking eyes
Your laughing mouth with (what is it?) frowning at the corner of your lips
The dark stain of ink on your forearm
Your hands
Scratched and scarred from the care and keep of the menagerie

I don't know what it is
It may be so rare it's never been seen before
Like the first drop of dew on a summer's morning
Or it may be more common
than the splash of an ice cube into a drinking glass
Either way, it's tangible and tantalizing
The kiss of sunshine on a winter's day
The caress of clean sheets
A whisper from the seat behind you

It doesn't matter
I never see you anymore
Except when I close my eyes
and try to pretend I don't miss you