I meant to write a thank you note
for something you said last year
I wrote it out, then thought a bit
and tore it up, in fear

that maybe my words of indebtedness
may somehow be misconstrued
as frivolous attempts to reopen books
of our life that you’d rather exclude

from memories, thoughts and sentiments
that you live your life by now
some framed, some talked of, some celebrated
some quietly disavowed

so here’s to every thought around the world
that failed to reach a heart
one can only hope, and idealize
that they have a counterpart.