The Truth As True As I Knew It To Be Poem by Jackson Hintz

The Truth as True as I Knew it to be

Loneliness is lying down to die halfway through the race.
It's the moment that your shoulders touch the earth and you are pinned there by gravity
It's the air being taken from your lungs to force the tears out of your eyes
And it's the shaking that just will not stop.
It's your voice only coming out in whispers to say a group of letters that don't make a word
There are no words for this
This pain, this ache that is relentless in its opposition to your peace.
It's like it knows where to hurt you most.
Loneliness is the noise of the TV. Still on and the light pouring out of the room because nobody can build up the bravery to walk out on that battlefield once more.
That room that was just minutes before filled with war cries and angry statements only spoken so they can be regretted moments later and felt for far longer.
That room that screams its silence into your head
Loneliness is not being able to raise your arm
Or catch your breath
Or find the strength to say all the important things that you left unsaid.
Loneliness is crying in the aftermath
It's lying in this bed with full understanding that there is not a single person you can talk to right now who could ever understand.
That there's no arms that could wrap around you and make it all better at least for now.
Loneliness is a book I've read over and over again.

- J Hintz