Once and never more

I loved him once, like a song on the radio,

on a station I tuned in by mistake.

It made my head sway and my hands stomp on the steering wheel,

with the window — and my heart — wide open,

my hair undone

on the road trip of my soul.

As I drove past my fears,

not looking into the rearview mirror,

the song sounded like an anthem 

and my spirit rolled free.

I pictured myself on the road forever,

chasing endless sunsets,

and sunrises through the hills,

and I forgot I was on the road right then.

As the final chord drew near,

I waited for the announcer to say its name out loud,

But I passed a threshold

and the only thing I heard was static dripping like rain. 

Its name forever lost.

Many times I tried to find it,

the tune that kept playing, 

looping in my dreams.

It haunted me for months 

until one day, 

I simply forgot.

Like that song of perfect freedom,

I loved him once, and never more.