Dear You by Guest Author Sharmaine Galve

Our guest author for today is Sharmaine Galve. It’s always a pleasure to share this platform with other writers and poets. Sharmaine writes fiction and prose poetry. Some of her works appeared in the Philippines Free Press magazine, Philippines Graphic, and other publications. We’re really excited when she accepted our invitation for her to share her work with our readers. While each of us may have our own interpretation of her poem “Dear You” as we try to discover the machinery of her consciousness, we may also be surprised at how much we can delve into the human components of her creativity:

Dear You

And when my eye catches your eye, I will smile.

It has stood the test of time and distance and tragedy.

I have seen you.

And when my eye catches your eye, I will smile.

It’s not a voluntary smile. Not a hello.

My mouth will curl, my eyes will crinkle.

I will have no control. It will be a rush of blood,

It will be my nerve endings jumping.

My eyes have seen you.

It has stood the test of time and distance and tragedy.

I have seen you.

Maybe my knees will go weak a little.

But I won’t show you.

I will want to catch that before you do.

And definitely pores will open on my palms.

And sweat will gush.

So I will not take your hand.

I will not kiss you on the cheek.

I will not hug.

I don’t think we ever did that.

The closest we ever came was you in the distance.

Quiet, smiling, trying to disappear in the crowd,

But failing as you tower above us, you goddess.

I wanted to make you laugh,

Whatever else do I have.

Just that,

You remembering me making you laugh.

I want to write this on a piece of paper with a pen.

Ink smudging on the white,

Because it has been a while since I handwrote.

Because the pen feels unfamiliar.

Because I am nervous.

Dear you, I want to write.

Forward and subtle.

Jubilant and panicked.

Confessional and pragmatic.

When that first smile fades,

I will now smile in greeting.

I will stand a meter apart.

Old world, old school.

And I will wait

And read between the lines

And see how your body language dances to my body language

And when it says no, I will bow and take my leave.

But do tell,

When it happens my eye catches your eye

And it makes you smile.