The Golden Sunset Brought Us Rain… A Stranger I Long For Poem by Boledi R Petja

There's a certain magic in the golden hour that hits differently, isn't there? The way the sun sets, bathing everything in this warm, amber light—like the world's been brushed with the softest touch. I often find myself longing for moments like these, where the silence speaks louder than words. Imagine sitting by a fire, a stranger across from you, but in that quiet, you don't feel like strangers at all. The air has that sharpness to it, the scent of rain just before it falls, and the rustling of leaves in the distance, like nature's own soft murmur.

In that stillness, the fire crackles between you, its warmth wrapping around you both as you sit on opposite sides. The flames flicker and sway, sending little sparks into the cool night air, and for a moment, you wonder what the other person's thinking. What's behind their eyes, as they stare into the flames, lost in the same unspoken thoughts? There's no rush to fill the space with words. The quiet feels comfortable, like it's enough.

I long for that. For a connection that doesn't need to be spoken aloud, where just sitting together in the simplicity of the moment is enough. No need for grand gestures, no expectations—just the two of us, watching the night settle in. The smell of rain, the crackling fire, the cool breeze that whispers secrets. There's something about that kind of peace, that shared silence, that feels like exactly what I've been waiting for—without even realizing it.