Pain

Written in the middle of the night after a long day helping someone battle cancer and the treatment of it.

I feel your pain
I wish I knew
I wish I understood
In frustration....I can feel your pain.

At your side
My tears well
For fear of appearing weak
I hide....my own pain.

By your side
I laugh
Something like sarcasm comes
To hide the welling tear...and feel your pain.

Frustration deepens
Nervousness thrives
My laugh becomes a grimace
Before it ever lives...and feeds your pain.

Through it all
I cherish the closeness
And dream of a day
When neither of us feel...only remember the pain.

1987

Author's Note

That was a hard day. For both of us. But survive it she did!!!

Reviews

[shadrach hah]

Hi William, I can feel the intense pain in this raw piece of poetry. The sorrow sings down your lines. Tears well in my eyes as I read this real, honest write. Your words flow down to emotions deepest well and it makes you truly feel the strongest emotions. This is such a special read. Have a wonderful Wednesday....Mike.

[William Michael Reeves]

You just made my day Mike! I've made people cry with my poetry before and it is so satisfying to know it's possible to elicit such strong emotions with just a few words.
This was written for my closest friend that I wrote 'When Willows Wept' for. She survived that 35 years ago but now finds herself battling cancer again and is on her deathbed as we speak. We find ourselves living the words written decades ago again.

[shadrach hah]

Hi William, the words truly touch the heart so deeply. Emotions come forth from the deepest well of the soul and the tears flow. As I read the piece again I feel the same emotions. I am so sorry to hear about your friend, William. I feel deeply for her and for you, my friend....Michael.

[William Michael Reeves]

That means a lot to me that you would revisit your memory of my poem and be touched again to read it once more. It's those intense negatives in life that really inspire poetry. The need to release it. This was that release.

[lightsong]

1987 it was long time ago, but reading this it feels as if it is yesterday :>

to be an empath doesn't mean weakness, it means to feel, to know, to understand without uttering words. it means to be the strongest, feeling all of this and yet knowing You can't do but what You can, still You know my friend? to "feel" is more than enough, it was what she needed, a company of a deeper level (oh yes along your sense of humor for sure ;>) and nothing else matter, in your lines here I see how You chose many of your words so carefully and caring, You repeated "feel" few times specially at the end for a purpose, You stared revealing your truth not hiding behind it, knowing that You don't have all the answers, You don't know why or how... and it leaves You in frustration because You seem unable to do anything YET as I've said to "feel" is all what really mattered. another VERY moving, beautiful (yes it is) well written piece. now look at this sweetest memory that she made it YUPIIIIIIII!!! YES miracles happen every second!

[Cherrie Palmer]

I've been there(was my mother's caregiver till the end). Not a easy place to be. It takes more than a game face to battle cancer with someone. It takes love courage and faith.
I'm glad I read this one.

[William Michael Reeves]

I empathize with you. Not easy at all. And my friend I wrote this for is at the end of her life now and I'm living my poetry again. She had such a life! A poet herself. Maybe we are destined to live our poems over and over again....

[Cherrie Palmer]

I bet she did and with your words we can know her too.

[Cherrie Palmer]

My mother asked me to write her a story about the angels coming to get her, and so I did. I would read it to her whenever she wanted. After I read it the graveside.

[William Michael Reeves]

Cool! I bet you cherish that story. That really touched me that you can know my friend through my poetry. I think subconsciously that's what I'm doing. Especially in poems like 'Ripley's Rose' and 'Carrie's Smile '. Wanting everybody to know the amazing people I've known that they can't possibly know. You just added to my perspective on poetry. Thank you!!

[Cherrie Palmer]

Look at my feature piece. I've written a story for the birth of each grandbaby and for the passing of many of my family.
I'm glad you can see a new angle for your poetry. Where those you love live amongst your words for all to see.

[William Michael Reeves]

I missed this comment somehow. I'll check it out

[Cherrie Palmer]

I miss comments all the time and then find them much later. It can be kinda like a scavenger hunt.

[Cherrie Palmer]

I want to reassure you I didn't change my avatar for any given reason. I have been here for 12+ years and most everyone knows me . Plus I keep several of my pictures in the photo section. :)

[John the Baptist]

Having worked in a chronic disease hospital for 12 years, I can identify with this one. Surrounded by varying degrees of human pain day after day, human services workers have to devise ways to care for themselves as well as for the people they seek to help. if they don't they will suffer.

[William Michael Reeves]

Then maybe you've experienced it when things are so intense there's this almost uncontrollable need to laugh. Almost like a pressure release valve. Glad it touched you.