You’re hurting.
I can see it as plain
as if you were holding up a sign to the world
letting them know
that being trodden on
and lied to – however well-intentioned – is not okay.
Except everyone, regardless of vision,
is blind to it.
It takes until the tears roll down
for them to understand
you can’t
keep trudging away everyday,
that care-free positive smile –
weighing several tonnes –
hiding your real thoughts.
Pretending, pretending, pretending
everything is fine.
No rest. No sleep. No insights.
It’s wounding you.
Slathering you in red;
not blood.
Anger. Pain. Sorrow.
And love.
Because you love,
because you claimed a degree of happiness
that gives the illusion you have distanced
yourself from the circle
and don’t want to be distracted,
there’s guilt.
Needless guilt.
Your choice was never to be left in the dark.
But I have shared the same
and understand why it’s there.
I hate it.
I hate how it wraps you in dark threads and cocoons you.
The only thing I can do
is hold your hand, drink your words
and let you lean on me.
It’s nowhere near enough.