<center> Poem 4
Waiting Alone
The hot tears that sting my eyes
roll freely down my cheeks,
no gentle touch from another to brush it from my face,
no tender place for me to rest my head.
The world around me grows more each day.
Every moment the harsh realities of life
fall like weights upon my weak body.
With each weight I grow more alone,
torn away from those I once called “friend.”
I look around, they all stand around me,
holding their hands out to me
offering comfort…sympathy,
but their caring gestures slip right through me.
I feel none of it,
like unseen mists that barely caress my skin.
I’m surrounded by them,
yet I’m all alone,
sitting with my knees clutched to my chest,
gently rocking back and forth
with hot tears streaming down my face.
The faces…the faces that surround me,
they fade away.
Each face fades away so slowly.
I am left in darkness,
left in silence.
A cold, icy gust of wind whips past me.
Then another…and another.
The tears from my eyes fall quicker
as each gust of wind sends chills throughout my frail body.
With the darkness around me closing faster,
I shut my eyes and pray for comfort.
Slowly the tears stop as a warm hand touches my shoulder.
I am gently pulled to my feet and warmth fills my body
as I am wrapped in a gentle embrace.
I sigh softly and succumb fully to the arms of my comforter.
Just as the warmth wraps around me,
I fall once more to the cold, hard floor.
The darkness crowds around me once more.
I hug my knee tighter as the tears once more burn at my eyes.
The warmth…the embrace…
a simple illusion.
There was no one…I was alone…
My eyes shut once more, the tears falling freely
But then…once again…a gentle touch on my shoulder.
I am pulled once more to my feet.
Strong, comforting arms pull me closer.
I feel the warmth pervade my body.
The darkness around me grows lighter.
But I stop.
I stop and look.
Look to see whose arms embrace me.
It is not the same as the one before.
No, these arms are different.
Gentler…more comfortable…
They are your arms, your gentle embrace.
I pull away from you as I see another.
Your arms wrap around her waist and draw her closer.
Her arms intertwine around your neck.
Each feeling the other’s warmth…already so familiar.
I see that she fits more comfortably in your arms than I did…
more right…
more perfectly.
A small smile forms on my lips as I back away from you,
keeping my distance.
I sit once more on the hard floor.
The tears form in my eyes and gently roll down my cheeks.
But that smile is still on my face.
The darkness is not so dark anymore.
I still see you
I’m not so alone anymore,
but I’m apart from you.
A darkness separates us.
With you on one side…and me on the other.
I wait here…alone…
for that special someone to cross that darkness.
For that someone to take me into his arms and hold me,
comfort me,
and chase the darkness away.
I hoped it would be you,
But you couldn’t do it…
No, your arms are meant to embrace another.
So now I have to wait…
alone in the dark
with no one to brush the tears that fall silently down my cheeks…
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