Halloween Weekend Before You Were Alone

They trained me you know.

I even trained others on the same things.

You followed the trend, but I thought I saved you.

 

My ears pricked, like syringes not like a cat’s,

as your told me about the monkeys jumping on your back.

The skeletons in your closet of shame,

who never even knew your name,

but danced around with hangers empty for two.

 

Your shoulders crept down towards your breasts,

as if they would find your mother there, not far away.

I could hear a cricket lodged in your throat,

not chirping, but creaking, like a broken step.

 

When I saw you next these things had

a scarf caressing them, but

not romantic. They weren’t hickeys.

 

You held yourself as had before something

crept inside of you. Before that hangnail became

infected.

 

But even in the cool water that splashed over

me, far too much like a womb’s caress,

I saw something akin to peace

in your eyes and knew it was over.

 

That was the last sign, the most important one.

 

I wished it away with all the power of

a fly smashing into a window to get outside.

Author's Note

Please don't read my note until you have digested the poem. A friend of mine was suicidal, and since I know a lot about it, I saw what was coming but felt helpless. It was interesting because I have done the right thing in many situations, but when they reached a level of peace that most do right before suicide I didn't act. Thank God someone else came to her aid.

Reviews

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Wow I didn't take suicide from this the first time I read it but now I am understanding the relation. Very powerful piece.