Beside the Unfinished Glass By Paul Moore

The half-empty glass,

red stain clinging,

a smear of laughter

on the rim.

And beside it,

your ring.

Gold,

still warm, maybe,

from your finger.

A tiny lighthouse,

a silent code.

Don't forget me.

Come back soon.

I am thinking of you.

Or maybe just

a habit.

But I prefer

the secret message.

Paul Moore is a North Carolina–based Black poet who channels family, ancestry, and memory into reflective verse, honoring resilience, lineage, and the shared journeys that shape identity and strength.