Send Him to the Lake

I’ve grown tired of crawling On the thinnest of ropes Waiting for a breakthrough He falters again Arms extended above the surface Gesturing vaguely towards nothing With eyes that betray his inner vitriol and Words that poison the memory of better days Set off by nothing Pulled down to the pit How did we displease? Do we really deserve this? What’s taken him over? Did he try to fight it? Strung out on rage He wields his voice I feel it falling apart Constituent threads unravel Like flesh wedding steel Look at me Look at me Look at me Look at me you have to answer for this I don't want to let go Of everything we built I have always maintained A hope of seeing it through Then I remember the hurt I remember the disdain in his eye I remember the fear I felt I remember the nights spent shaking I remember it all Wounds flare open Stinging mercilessly Gnawing on the rotten meat of trauma Another memory emerges I remember the joy I remember the laughs we shared I remember the solidarity I remember the youthful ambition I remember it all Never knowing where to place these feelings Weighing hurt against years of camaraderie Finding solace in vulnerable moments But I need to see a deeper cleansing Send him to the lake Where the waters can heal his strife Send him to the lake Where his spirit can be renewed Send him to the lake Where his trauma can loosen its grip Send him to the lake So our kinship can flourish once more Send him to the lake