Truce

Poetry Finnley Silveria

Tracy, California, USA

You can hold him close Listen to his breath The rising and falling of his chest in the ever-darkening room But do not confuse this peace with a truce

For hiding in his chest Behind each soothing breath Is a fear that will never let him go A war that has gone on for years

Your words mean a lot, yes But going back on years of learned mistrust and fear Will take more than words More than whispered promises as the night goes on More than “I love you”s More than he thinks is possible

It is a monster; he’s told you time and time again He reminds you of the little kids in movies Begging their parents to look in the closet But for him merely opening the door and peering in won’t fix a thing It has knotted and tied itself into him This innate fear of leaving in the night and broken promises Of crying out into a brick wall that doesn’t even shudder in response You wonder every now and again if it’s the same The same monster that rooted itself into you when you were only a child Too young to know that flavor of fear You never could reach a truce with it.

You tell him this one night In between kisses and tears and promises you will never break And it’s light again as he looks at you His comforting eyes meeting yours And you finally let go of a breath you didn’t know you were holding

He’s told you every last word in his head time and time again And with sympathy and love you’ve listened Refusing to think any less of him for any word of it Refusing to tell him why you understood

He holds you close, Listens to your breath, And in that ever-darkening room You come to terms with the fact that you will never reach a truce in it all And enjoy the peace that settles, instead.

Stay, don’t go, let’s be roses in the rain

Photography V Merritt

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA