prism

one tear

drop of sadness

capsule of self pity

morsel of despair

escapes the corner of her eye

to explore her winter reddened cheek

but the swollen gravity of her heart

pulls it straight down

a small convex mirror

it rolls down over the cold

and closed pores of her cheeks

all her cells shutting it out

a reflection of her bruised soul

and crushed dreams

as well as the faces of strangers on the train

diverting their eyes

daring not to care too deeply

leaving a trail of wet hopelessness

from corner of eye to side of nose

passing down-turned corners of lips

to chin

where it finds same future

she sees before her

empty

so it breaks in two

a luxury she lacks

misery loves company

and they plunge past her neck

she swallows hard

as if to consume thick emotion

and steps out into the rain.

the tear finds company in a myriad of prisms

casting rainbows in every direction

invisible to her

who sees only gray sky, bleak future,

through dim perspective.

fresh tears, distinct by salt

but concealed by rain

reflect the world around her

as upside down as she perceives it

as if out of empathy

for her loss.

with no one to wipe them away

no one to embrace

she enters the cold church;

hard floors, rigid pews and stained glass

giving color to her pale wet cheeks

to camouflage the pain

tasted by all, but enveloping her.

He’s not there

and never again will be.

But she still must.

#funeral #death #tears #poetry #weep #anxiety #poem #pain #Depression #church