BRASH, harsh, abrupt – the telling of the story was hard to absorb. The voice on the other end of the phone – so much pain. I am aware that I am taking in all the tension, distorted on the couch, hunched over, tightening my jaw, my hands, my gut. The THEME is so familiar – love, accusations, betrayal, shame, fear – all made worse by the public, curated nature of lives in our world. Ironically fueling private pain and paranoia. The room I am in suddenly feels claustrophobic, the HUMID air pushes on me. The voice breaks into sobs once more and I want to scream.

Georg’ann

When the BREAK comes
she gets stuck, haunted
though not by a GHOST
feels terror, inside her mind playing a horror film
her pleading, tear filled voice seeking reassurance,
as I walk under the moon
She grasps for connection
to her grandmother, to birds
recalls the FINCH at the feeder
like any finch, it darts away
So long on this HILLY path
Simultaneously climbing
and deeply descending,
belaying steadily, trusting
the rope, the rock
Feeling the heaviness
of the HUMID air
we both want to let go
free fall into the abyss
“I’m right here, sweetheart,
I won’t let you go”

Heather