Where Have You Gone Poem by Alex Jones

I still keep track of some of the students at university
One of them is you
I knew where you had gone but
Intruding into your new life seemed some how wrong
Then the country you left us for began to crumble
From the inside out, it burned, poverty reigned
It didn't seem to take very long
For you to stay would be dangerous and wrong
I wanted to ask you to immediately flee
I agonized over making the assumption that you needed me
To advise you about something you must already know
Did I have that right in the first place
Still, I felt I had to email you all the same
I wasn't even sure you would remember my name
You did and assured me that you remembered me well
You said you were packing as we spoke
You emailed me when you reached the safety of the plane
You emailed me again from your home country
Again from quarantine and your emotional pain
We remembered our favorite hangouts on University Avenue
We talked about missing the university's beautiful grounds
We talked about all of the people, our university family
We talked about plans and dreams for the future and
We promised to be friends forever
It seems that promises and dreams are often fleeting
Once again you are gone, no contact at all
My hopes for our renewed friendship are quietly retreating