A Month Devoid of Comforting Words

A week ago, I saw a girl, in the immediate aftermath
of that shift from that first, futile crush
to the post break-up or dejection moments.
- the agony of adolescence.

All women recall too well.
The first bleeding and aching of adolescence,
and that pain which long predates the menstrual.
All I could do was smile. I had no French words to soothe.

In the Japanese gardens, a woman
recieved some cellphone call bearing the worst of news,
and her scream of "no", a universal word,
unsettled the still, tranquil waters of a Zen garden.

She fell to her knees, across a rope,
disturbing the pattern in the combed gravel.
But what could I, who had no French do, but watch tears
well in her dark brown eyes.

Now, your friend, I know from Tarbe,
with whom I admired the rivulets of water
gnarling some million year old staglimate,
has himself become a calcuim white shadow, like that stone,

and not, for no stone trembles.
He  has driven hundreds of miles through a mist of tears.
His request for a kiss on both cheeks transcends custom,
exposing a need for tenderness. But I have no words.

I have been a month without having comforting words.

Reviews

[W.k.kortas]

It is indeed moving; there is no cheap emotion here, no showy histrionics, just tight writing and vivid imagery. Marvelous stuff.

[Judy Ponceby]

Heartbreaking and grief stricken. How incredibly moving this is. Stunning work Sel.

[Vanessa Whiteley]

I have no words to describe how I feel about this!!

[Adelia Alighieri]

First, what a title. Grabbed me immediately.

I don't see any rhyme, but trust me, the flow works so perfectly, you have no idea.
I enjoyed reading this! Looking forward for more!