Owen Stroud

when you showed me a picture
from when you were younger
I didn’t expect to feel vaguely annoyed
just to know how much of
your life I’ve missed out on
and just how much I would have enjoyed
to have known you then and witnessed firsthand
all the stories I’ve heard you recount
but I guess
the very best that I can do
is to
cherish you now

have you ever been tongue-tied
rendered speechless
when you met someone you’d
long admired from afar
you stammered in shell shock
grappling for words
as the weight of the moment
hit you like a car
well it’s just as much of a miracle
that I get to have you around
and so I’m resolved
to be enthralled
and that ain’t hard to do
as I choose
to cherish you now

I don’t wanna be
coming up empty-handed someday
I don’t wanna find myself scrounging
through the finite vault of fading memories
but it’s not out of fear of future regret
that the warmth in my heart is abounding
I’m just so glad that you’re here right now with me

I used to latch on to so many people
thinking our friendships would forever last
but now I have witnessed
how much they are subject
to changes of places and circumstance
well I’ve no idea how long we’ll all be
conveniently in the same town
but I can’t tell
so I won’t dwell
on what may or may not be
I just know I need
to cherish you now