I was someone

"I was someone"
a tacit voice said
across a noisy tavern
and my ears awoke,
the lonely man cowered
lines furrowed on his brow
yet the eyes still flickered
for the someone he was

"Two nimble feet I had"
with forlorn expression 
he softly declared
yet only I listened,
football fields and dance halls
he graced with poise aplenty
yet fortune favoured others
and the legend never was

"A poet I once was"
he said with great expression
like a silk encased clarinet
with verse a voice took flight,
words to lift, paint, ignite
like sunrise on a snowy morn
yet sadness covet the end
and the wordsmith never was

"I loved and lost"
he said with passion
enough to warm the soul
and I was captured by a moment,
he spoke of love's eternal flame
intoxicating beauty's realm
but the lover's voice recoiled in pain
for a life that never was

"I was happy"
with tears he said 
as inebriation encased him
and my heart grew heavy,
followed by a heavy sigh
a withered hand was raised
to grip the toxic glass
and numb a pain that was.