Although she hadn’t expected it
To take up so much time,
It did, requiring her
To set aside things
Far more important.
She labored on,
Wondering how she might
Extricate herself from
This self-inflicted situation.
A small gesture
Feels so large
When one has been
Toiling away without
Perspective, the
Horizon being only
What is directly before
One’s eyes rather than
The splendid whole.
We try everything we
Can think of and
Nothing works,
Consult experts
To no avail,
Wonder if it
Will ever pass.
Everything resolves itself,
We’re told,
While wondering whether
It’s true at all.
I look at the words
But they don’t elicit any
Kind of memory,
As if it all had
Never happened.
No matter what happens,
How many setbacks
Present themselves to
Mock his mettle,
He continues his forward
Movement, remembering
That what matters is
Being on his path.
They visit me at
Odd moments, remnants
Of a past existence I
Can barely relate to.
Strange reminders of
The same person
Separated only by
Time and experience.
They arrive
Unannounced and overstay
Their welcome, reviving
Memories best left forgotten.
Closing the door
Behind me, I bid them
A good day and
Go for a walk.
Too many times.
This one was the last.
How do I know?
I’m different now
And they’re the same,
Change not in
Their vocabulary.
It was clear
He tried his best
But, as usual,
It just wasn’t enough,
It never was,
Which brings us
To today.
Brutally abused as a
Child, deprived of even
The most basic security,
She comes of age
Tempted to follow the
Same path, plenty of
People around more than eager to
Help her fulfill that prospect.
She looks inward,
Realizing that there still
Shines at her core a
Beautiful jewel drawing
Its resplendence from compassion
Rather than self-loathing,
Courage instead of fear,
Peace over anger.
It’s only in later years
That she begins to process and
Comprehend what happened
To her and how she took her
Pain and bid it goodbye,
Chose not to perpetuate the hurt,
Decided that her destiny
Was to spread love.
