7 December 1998
Larmes dans la voix*

Tear stains on blank pages
As no words can describe
The certainty of the pain you feel
As you feel uncertain.
The words I write mean nothing
And the page still ends up blank
But there’s something I need to understand
And has been done with words before
So I’ll keep on writing and hope that things will form

I n a choked conversation
Deep breathes come as no relief
Nobody has died
But your spirit is dead
And you cannot cope with the grief

I hear your soul cry out
But who am I to say
That your tears aren’t worth the time
That worrying is not worth the pain
When I know I’d act the same.
Similar minds obviously
Though different bodies we may be
But sharing brings only half the joy
And it wastes twice the time
But still we are trapped together
Separately.

My shoulder is here for you
But my gifts you won’t accept
You are now at a distance from all
As you await the words from one
Your only one.

You told me you were free
That time had healed the wounds,
But a phone call from hundreds of miles away
Does not lessen the sound
That I know you are trying to hide
And I pray for your pain to subside
I read your words, you know I’ve cried
But do not claim that all life has died
Just smile and regain your pride
That the selfish took away.

*French, meaning tears in the voice