We’ve never met before,
but the first time I saw you sitting
at the table next to the window with
your headphones in, dark locks of your hair
falling into your eyes with a book open in front of
you with a steaming cup of coffee by your side
I thought you were beautiful.

I was wandering the streets in the rain then,
in the midst of an unforgiving storm
each raindrop washing away layers and layers of
dirt and grime and tears and
regret and shame and guilt when I
pulled open the door to that cafe,
the little bell singing
and you looked up and our eyes met for a split second.

We’ve never met before,
but the second time I saw you sitting
at the table next to the window with
your lips fixed into a pout, your hair pulled back into a 
messy bun with your fingers dancing across your
phone screen with a steaming cup of coffee by your side
I thought you were beautiful.

I was wandering in an endless flowerless field then,
in the midst of a raging tempest within
feeling time slip away from my fingertips by the second
with each raindrop that fell when I
stopped outside the window of the cafe and
stared at the gray sunless sky
and you looked up and our eyes met for a split second.

We’ve never met before,
but the third and last time I saw you sitting
at the table next to the window with
a man I’ve never seen before, your eyes brimming
and overflowing with tears that fell like shooting stars
as your lips mouthed ‘Don’t leave’ over and over again
and his face red and his eyes downcast as he
stood up and pushed the door open to the rain
the little bell singing
you covered your face with your hands and
even then without a steaming cup of coffee by your side
I thought you were beautiful.

I was wandering in the clouds then,
in the midst of a great whirlwind
the gale tearing away at my mind and body 
and I pulled the door open to the cafe and
ordered two cups of hot coffee and
walked to where he left you with your hands over your face
with the steaming cups
while the storm and tempest and wind died down
and you looked up and our eyes met and I said:
“We’ve never met before,
but can we have a coffee or something?”