So Close

We were so close
We were touching it
With the tips of our noses

Sensing it
With our eyes closed
Confident

Thinking that in seconds
We'd be grabbing at it
And pulling handfuls of it
Into our laps

Looking at it
Finally knowing
It wasn't going anywhere

Maybe we got too confident
Maybe we didn't notice we sliding back
Because of how close we were
To the finish line

Maybe the water got hot
Underneath us
Around us
While we were swimming in it
Not noticing that it was boiling
Over

I still dream about red tape
And confetti
And streamers
And ticker tape parades

I still think about the moments
When we were almost
When we were so almost
We almost wanted to stay at almost
Fearing that going any further
Would end in us failing

Another dream I have is of us
Always closer
Getting closer
Nearing it and nearing it
And hearing the crowd cheering for us
And being stuck there

Not staying there
Not like almost
Wanting to be there

But stuck at close
Stuck in so close

So close
But only close
Never anything
But close