Silence settles upon me like dust,

falls onto my shoulders all at once.

The shaking stops,

my vision clears.

The waves stop pushing me to the shore

and pull me away from jagged rocks.

I float - suspended by time

and cradled by the water beneath me.

The longing call of a ship out at sea shatters the quiet.

The lighthouse shines down on me,

but it disappears again again.

The shore comes into focus then slips away.

The sea is burning,

but it's the first thing I've felt in months.

I succum to the feeling I've been void of.

I hold up my hands to the invisible ropes

and let them bind my wrists.

The waves wash me farther out to sea.

The boats call out to me -

the sailors sad song.

They know the feeling of being lost.

I walked through a barren desert

where cactus spines pierced my skin.

My tears drenched the parched earth.

In my arms I carried my future,

while I sank under the weight of my past.

When I felt I could walk no farther,

I looked behind me.

Flowers grew from the cracks in the ground,

following my tail of tears.

Out of my pain came a growth of beauty and grace.

With a lighter load and a lighter heart,

I let go of the things that didn't matter.

The dusty ground swallowed them

and I took a step forward.

I will finish my journey.

I'm left swimming in the tail lights

of your old ford.

It rumbles down the driveway

and I'm sputtering in the fumes.

I catch your eye in the mirror

and cough up an 'I love you'.