The Other Side

We are each a matched set

with a stranger across the world

who looks just like us

but different somehow

we may speak different languages

attend different gatherings

and play in different parks

Yet our work will bear a striking resemblance if we were even given the chance

to compare the two 

Our expressions are similar enough

even our mothers would be given pause

and our mannerisms would be eerily familiar

When we lose a sock in the dryer 

it arrives in their laundry basket

when we hold our right hand up to the sun

their left feels slightly warmer

when we close our eyes at night

they open theirs in the morning

Dancing partners

across the universe

who’ve learned the steps 

to each other’s routine

without ever knowing

the words to each other’s favorite songs

who have memorized the number of steps

from the bed to the front door

and the number of minutes

from the driveway to the favorite restaurant 

Without ever knowing the whole truth

yet knowing something is missing

feeling like they’ve forgotten something 

along the way