Everyone watched with
Consternation as he
Unraveled before them,
Spewing forth the saddest
Kind of misinformed
Presupposition possible,
Dogmatism drawn from a
Tainted source, profound
Fissures created long ago,
Bubbling under the surface,
Ready to erupt at any moment,
One such as this.
Moments later he moves on
As if nothing happened.
Open your mind, open your heart.
Open the door to places uncontemplated.
Shed assumptions about a
World of fear. Thrive, flourish,
Nourished by courage and hope.
Cling to future rather than past.
Heal ingrained, untended wounds.
Move forward into the light.
For years and years I thought
I was a certain type of person and
It all came tumbling down one
Normal afternoon when I was
Struggling to do what I thought
I was supposed to do, fighting
Against the current instead of
Enjoying a carefree ride on a
Placid stream on a beautiful day.
All this time hoping I could will
My way into being someone else, a
Different person in the mirror
Bearing not even the most fleeting
Resemblance to me, a passing
Stranger, unsubstantial presence,
Easily scattered with a single gesture,
Moved by fragile strings of ego, fear,
A misunderstanding halted.
Not sure what to
Say when the request
Is made, perhaps it
Signals the end of a
Brief relationship,
But most likely just
Reflects two beings
On different paths,
Neither better.
He’s angry all the time.
He’s been this way his
Entire life, as long as
He can remember. He says
It’s because he has passion,
Conviction, but it’s
Really about the other things
He’ll never talk about
To anyone and tries to
Pretend never happened.
He’d do this thing
When he was challenged
In some minor fashion,
Become really quiet,
Stare with seething
Hatred — you could see
Condemnations whirling
Around in his head —
His face and body
Twitching, contorting
In discomfort, unable
To deal with the prospect
Of not getting his way.
Step by dreary step,
Trying to finish
Something, anything,
When my mind is elsewhere,
In different times
When things weren’t
So complicated and
I didn’t have to handle
So many things at once.
A persistent fog
Distorting my perception,
Unable to see, feel, clearly.
One movement at a time,
Finish one, begin the next
Until the sun rises.
She says she’s happy. Long hours
Pass obsessing about others and what
They think. All the while a small voice
Deep inside reminds her of events
She’s desperately trying to forget,
Memories time doesn’t smooth.
Continue looking outward where the
Answers aren’t. Seek solace in attention
From anyone and comfort from mistaken
Sympathy. When the world is about others,
It isn’t about you.
We really don’t know how to
Say this, but we’re not sure
That things are going to
Work out, not because of
Anything you did…
Actually… (stammering),
Mainly because it just
Wasn’t what we thought it
Would be and we have to
Change it as quickly as
Possible, even though we
Really don’t have a reason
For doing it, although
We really do but would never
Just say it out loud.
