my little guy came in from his shower tonight,
crying with a tummyache
he couldn’t decide if it was hunger
or something else
I treated it with a ginger cookie,
a cold drink, and love
and I thought about how thankful I am
that tummyaches are treatable
and how I hope he is still years away
from the untreatable, unfixable ache
that of the heart
when the heart is in pain
there is no cure
but time,
and even that is never a steady
or hurried or permanent fix
the symptoms can return
at any time
tears, panic, sadness, worry,
not understanding,
wondering why
the pain of losing someone,
of watching justice come undone
at the hands of those we trusted,
the people who make promises
and then soon forget,
those who misuse the power
and leave folks hurting and in need,
those who forget about loving people first
and getting ahead second
the hurt and pain can come back again
and again
despite the passage of time
and as I watch his peaceful slumber
no trace of pain left to see
I am thankful for ginger cookies
and cold drinks
and those little hands I love to hold
and I wish I could find something
that would give me and my heart
a peaceful night of rest
as well
the pain of heartache–
of questioning why–
can be hidden behind a mask
and carried well over time,
but in the dark of night
and the quiet of the solitude,
the questions echo loudly–
and the pain becomes once again
an open, gaping wound
that knows no cure
and so we love…..
and wait.
I Might Need A Nap 