Eight years later, I finally understand.
A friend’s betrayal that
Felt for so long like a lover’s leaving,
The person who knew me best,
Who inspired and witnessed
My own becoming,
Best friends forever faded away
To a wave of the hand,
An insincere smile,
Nothing left in your eyes when I saw you this year,
When you made a show of approaching me
And asking me how I was,
Already looking over my shoulder to see
Who, more interesting, was near.
I told you about my work, vacation plans,
That’s all? you replied and I thought,
No, but you don’t get to hear about
The things that are real.
And it was only several months later,
On a bus somewhere, that I realized -
I can’t hold on to who you were.
And who you are now is someone
I wouldn’t be friends with anyway.
And it doesn’t hurt so much now.
So thank you.
wow. Great poem, and powerful truth.
I’m so glad you realized this. Pain from being wronged is such a heavy bag to carry around
painful but truthful and if we could all come to such realizations
There is a quiet strength to this poem that is very appealing.
Very true, its sad to see a friend change and drift away but better to let go than to try and hold on to what has gone. I love the photo.
How accurately and succinctly put – and how true – for you, and for me! It’s been seven years and I reached a similar realization. Thanks for putting it into words in such a powerful way.
This is so true, and what a great use of artistic expression to let go of it.
The photo is an accurate portrayal of the words. I like the way you’ve worded friendship death. I’m dealing with one now and will take this to heart!
how fortunate we are to have this very powerful means of communication… one can open the flood gates and release all that needs to be let go….and leave the stain on the paper.. instead of in ones heart…..
this wsa lovely…
Absolutely stunning in its honestly. I can relate to it but wish I couldn’t.
Thanks for posting over at Create a Connection . . . so I stopped by for a visit and discovered your beautiful description of a broken relationship. So intimate and so moving – deeply honest in revealing the pain of such loss. Thanks for sharing your heart.