drippedonpaper

We are the steady ones.
Unsaid, it's in our glances,
As we help our spouses out the door.

The teacher takes his counselor wife
Who had enough,
To forget her clients for an hour.

The engineer bring his nurse
Who is no longer speaking of patients
But listing her pantry contents,
And inviting the whole table to,
"Dinner at my house,
Any time."

And I, I help you.
I don't understand
The pain that drives you to this,
Is it helpful
To forget the world?

The deeper questions don't matter just now,
We just need to get safely home.
Up the stairs,
Undress
Safely lying in bed.

You said when we met,
I made you so happy, you didn't want to drink.

But two years later,
"It's just the pandemic."
Then "it's just the news.'
It's "just my arthritis pain."
If I love you,
Why wouldn't I want you
To find relief?

A constant see-saw.
And I know
This world can be so much to bear.

But that exchange,
All of us,
The steady ones
The look of "here we go."

Are they worrying too?
What could happen if there was a fall
On our quiet, steady leading
Each of you
Home?