The Light Remains

Her words rip into me

Cascading grenades find their mark

They find the spirit within me

And each land deep inside my heart

Reeling from each new blow

It feels a struggle to even breathe

The words are poisonous and framed just so

Seems she distilled them just for me

Sadness and anger wash over me

Rising and falling like waves

Breathe in. Breathe out. Just like the sea

Let go of feeling betrayed

Breathe in, breathe out, dark feelings fade

As I seek peace within

And bitterness cannot invade

If I still love my friend

I’ll choose to remember

The laughter, dreams, and tears

I’ll remember the care – so tender

I know that those weren’t wasted years

Some distant stars no longer burn

But here their light remains

And that’s how I will think of her

The light that she gave me still remains

2023 © Miriam Shanks. All Right Reserved.