Face To Face Poem by Terry Dunham

Face To Face

I can’t make this go away.
Like a brick wall it stands
Planted. Not even one ounce
of evidence of movement.
When will this burden be lifted;
This closeness to tears,
This groaning and hopelessness?
I can’t make this disappear.
It came out of nowhere.
It came like a slow noose
around my neck. This is not
my friend, this tiger crouching
at my feet. Pouncing when I’m
not looking and tearing my
soul when I am staring
face to face with him. I see him.
Always in the shadows.
Sometimes overhead. Ready to jump
on my back again and torment.
See, this is my portion. My next gig.
This sadness that stays.
Like constant bad news.
Sleep. OK. I want to sleep now.
Go lie down and let me drift.
In the morning I’ll meet your stare again.
Contest. Stare-down. You win sometimes.
I do sometimes. Go lie down in your corner.
Let my dreams be empty of you.
“Never let him alone”, your motto.
“Vigilant to terrorize”, your creed.
Sleep, let me sleep tonight.
I can’t make this go away.
(C) 2009 Terry Dunham