Breath of Blue

Quicksand

My friend is in pain. 

Sitting across from me, I let her talk and watch

Tears slipping down her cheek, pricking my heart like a thorn. 

Her pain is palpable, permeating the air,

Making me gasp for breath. 

 

She is so young and I am so old.  

Wisdom should come with age but it doesn’t. 

I want to ease her hurt but stumble,

Offering words that sink like stones tossed in a pool.  

And her tears overflow.

 

I have been there in this place she finds herself. 

It is dark and dank, full of quicksand

Sucking, pulling, threatening to drown her. 

I could tell her not to resist, yet remember how hard it is

To surrender, how unforgiving that feels. 

 

My heart aches as I listen. 

I found my way out so why can’t I help her? 

I hug her and say “hang in there”, disgusted

That this is the best I can do. 

She hugs me back and says “I know what you mean.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 4:15 pm and is filed under Memories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.