An Old Friend

So we meet again,

My old friend

Though it’s been a while.

Your last visit seems everlasting,

Still holding in the bile.

And now,

I taste that same bitterness

That plagued me once before.

Silent tears

Now labeled ordinary,

Still healing from that first war.

Knew that first meeting wasn’t our last.

Know you’ve been here the whole time.

Though I must admit,

I’ve tried to hide

In books and bottles of wine.

Since then,

we’ve shared vast spaces —

I’ve sensed you from afar.

But now,

There’s no denying

How damn close up we are.

In my dreams, I evade you.

I banish all you bring.

Where the golden sun glistens

And soaring trees sway...

Where the magical hummingbirds sing.

Where flowers prance,

And the glittering stars dance...

Where love and comfort grow.

With elusive spirits near,

Basking in the effervescent glow.

But here we are,

And they are not.

These waters —

Too rough to row.

In solitude,

Engulfed in you,

Hoping that you’ll go.

But as it is —

You’re here to stay.

And so I’ll make the choice

To swim with you.

Reminisce with you

Of treasured moments when I rejoiced.

Jessica Sandoval

Jessica is from Chicago and works in the mental health field. As someone who lost her father when she was twelve and recently lost a beloved pet, she has struggled with grief for most of her life.

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