Today the dam burst,
its wall crumbling
as the ladybird’s wings fluttered.
I am exposed.
Futile attempts to seal the cracks,
I rebuild the wall with a sponge.
But they see through the holes;
judging.
As soon as I knew
a protective barrier encircled.
The quakes come now,
their pressure forces the shield to erode.
The sand blows away,
dissolving my mask.
I stand alone.
Vulnerable
when the others come,
with their concerned flood of emotions.
I try to tell them, but
My teeth weld shut,
my tongue freezes over,
drowning the words in ice.
Others survive the ceremony of goodbyes,
why can’t I?
It’s only a natural disaster,
The cycle of life.
My broken mind erases the day,
the pain eventually subsides.
Unnoticed,
the pressure gauge builds up.
© Heather R Ellis
December 2009