Bridge

Like a bridge that's built to give a little

under stress, allow for weather and for weight,

I wonder how much more this little heart

can take today. The heaviness. Concerns,

catastrophes that build, one sitting nicely on

the one below. You know at some point it

will topple over, you just hope you're not

there underneath the load, that something,

someone will have grabbed your hand and

pulled (at least) a moment sooner, and offered

you a hug, a touch, a glass of wine, some oxygen,

a pillow to prop up your head, a foot rub,

pleasant music, candles maybe, something

nice to eat, a smile, a poem, warm cloth

to wash the dirt away, a bandage for that scrape,

the promise that there's someone on the earth

that cares and understands that little heart

with so much love to give it hurts.

(c) Ellen Gillette 2018

Friend

Borrowed from http://www.bristolwood.net/
I trust my younger readers (and some of the
older ones too) will forgive some language.
I'll forgive yours!

The friend who'll stop
to take your call,
will sit and listen
as you share, not all
your problems ...
the entirety of life,
an ordinary life with
ups and downs and
venting, angry words,
relentless hope that
things can change,
self-pity run amok
at times, who lets you
be yourself and talk
of how you love the Lord,
allows you, next day, to get
pretty fucking mad
at things that drive
you crazy and you think
it may just happen,
but it doesn't, never will,
because you have a friend
who knows you,
really knows you,
lets you blow off steam
and lets it be (for moments
at a time) sublimely all
about you, about your endless
shit, who promises to pull you
by your hair or shirttail,
by a sleeve, whatever can be
reached there at the edge
of an enormous pit of
negativity, before
you take another step.
A friend who knows
you'll stop to take a call,
will sit and listen,
let it stop (for moments
at a time) to be about you
and about your shit, switch sides
there on the edge of all
the pits in life. A friend
who doesn't rescue, doesn't
need a friend who does,
a friend who knows you,
trusts, adores you, whether
time or distance separates.
So rare, a depth of genuine
affection, but much more -
can also tease and taunt,
be honest to the point of
pain.  A gift straight from
the heart of God.


(c) Ellen Gillette, 2015