There was once upon a day
When I looked into your eyes
Blank now

Flashing to this summer
Crickets are chirping
Cicadas are playing their orchestra
But we can’t hear it in the basement
We’re all alone
One moment we’re laughing
So silly, just kids
The next you are sobbing
Hysterical, you’re jerkily rocking
What can I do, what can I say to make this go away
There’s a chill in the night air that wasn’t there before
I glance around shivering, no sweater nor an exit
Your face is crumpled
Mouth is open in silent screeches
You’re twisting unnaturally in agony
Breathless mantras pour out
“I’m hurting him, I’m hurting him, hurting, I’m hurting him”
When you look up at me imploringly I see a small child
Those big brown eyes so innocently framed by dark lashes
Lonely and terrified
But like an actor stepping off stage, you snap back between a blink
Smiling you continue from where you left off, when you fell apart
As if it never even happened

The moment I knew there was something so wrong

It was another summer’s evening and we were swinging in the park
Discussing life and love and God
You thought He wasn’t real,
Always such a cynic.
But as the sun began to sink golden over the tree tops
In our lonely subdivision
I sighed and said “I love sunsets
A promise of eternity”
And you turned, looked at me,
With the saddest smile I’ve ever seen
Looked away and shivered
I hate them you said
Day is turning into night
It’s dark at night, alone in my room
I hate sunsets, you said

Now I’m here
And I see nothing under the glaze in your eyes
They’ve caught you alright
Drugged you up and pent you up
And you just smile a lazy smile.
I hate to see you like this
But maybe now you are okay at night

I can’t help but remember swinging under the open sky
Just another August night