A meek shadow hovering sullen body
Sunny photograph thumbtacked to dull painted walls
Reads exhausted stories of days
Once filled with naive laughter

Did your ears turn from encouraging words?

Avoid concerned eye contact, ponder selfish death
Cry fiercely when no one was present
I broke down, strong brittle arms gave out
Couldn’t catch myself,
Jerk in violent seizures from supportive tongues

Why? You whisper looking down.

Words, humans, nothing can heal infectious poisoned wounds
I pray your pain is no more
Honestly don’t know what keeps me here
Too many dark reasons to die,
I plead only one to again teach virgin life

What would have made life better?

Cried alone in her thoughts last night-then
Drove my sick vanishing body home
Sadly I understand too well diseased tragic torment
Give anything to forget the nightmares end
I’m terrified, Yearn to be with you
Far from our heartless comrade doom

I question will the family make it?

Both of us gone

-esther bain