The difficulty involved
In letting go of anger,
Something that has
Supposedly served him
For so many years but has,
In actuality,
Only steered him away
From what really matters,
A lesson learned after
Too many years of failure.
Suffering the consequences of
A joyless worldview
That deems human beings worthless,
Expendable, disposable in order
To make a few people even richer
So they can feel superior
For barely a moment,
Someone’s else’s death
Meaning nothing,
The machine grinds on.
Hopelessness is the
Result of giving up
Our dreams,
Euphoria, optimism.
Through hopeful eyes
The world is
Full of possibility,
Wonder, magical adventure.
We each get to choose
Our own path,
Whether to live in
Delight or sorrow.
In a sudden moment of clarity,
She realizes that he never
Respected her.
In retrospect it seems so clear,
The constant belittling,
Snide remarks, manipulation.
A pervasive pattern of control
Passed off as caring,
Actions intended to subjugate.
She tells herself it can’t be true,
While knowing deep inside
It always has been.
The thing about it was
That nobody was quite
Sure what had actually
Happened or how to
Interpret it, there
Being as many different
Versions of the events
As there were people
In the room, although
Everyone seemed to agree
It created a rather
Uncomfortable situation.
And just like that,
In the middle of lunch,
She realized that
Every time she felt
Like a loser it was
Because she had heard
That message over and over
And, not having the
Life experience to
Do anything else,
Had labeled herself
As deficient in some way
Because, after all,
They couldn’t be wrong.
An event perfectly planned
Down to the most minute
Detail, swiftly derailed by
The most mundane of unforeseen
Glitches, competently handled
By some, a cause for great
Alarm to others, nobody
Notices on the outside,
Or cares, everything appearing
Just fine to the unsuspecting.
Repositioning
Their masks,
Playing
Meticulously
Sanitized characters.
Time dutifully
Alters perception
Until it barely
Resembles anything
Tangible.
They try to go back,
But reality has an
Unsubtle way of
Imposing itself on
The wishful.
Trying one thing
After another,
Hoping one works.
They never do,
But the other option
Is to stand still
Doing nothing,
Longing for
Different results.
