Crescent moon

Crescent Moon

When you smile,
The light in the room does not grow brighter.
Beyond the window,
The sky does not change, either.

Only before my eyes,
A streak of light appears.

In your eyes,
There is a moon only I can see.
A moon that hides behind no clouds,
That does not strive to shine—
Such a moon.

Not quite full,
Yet missing nothing.
Not close enough
To be reached,
Yet there it is—
A slender crescent moon.

Wherever that moon may be,
So long as its reflection
Can be recognized
Upon the water,
My restless heart
Finds stillness.

When your thoughts and mine
Fall into step,
My moon would become full…
But yours remains
The same old crescent moon.

When life demands
That we leave at different stops,
Even if you dissolve
Into a distant path,
I will not pull you back
Toward me.

Instead, I will look up
At the night sky
And ask the moon
Just one thing:

Is he still smiling
The way he always did?

Years from now,
If we meet again
And you smile,
I will not search your face
For the years gone by.
I will not wait for memories
Long vanished
To return through your words.

Instead,
I will let a few tears fall,
Hiding them playfully
As though they were nothing.
I will remember
Our foolish younger days
And quietly watch
The boy who has grown
Into a calmer man.

After finding once more
The moon only I could see,
I will tell you,

I have missed you so much.

And then,
You will laugh again—
With that very same smile.