It is only air (but it is so much more)

Finn, Grade 12

Shattered
Glass
Glass
Shattered

Small knives
(Of glass remember)
Pricking her feet
Which she treads on lightly
So lightly
For she fears they may no longer bear her weight

Not only the weight of her body
Which she left long ago
But the weight of everything else
The weight of poisoned plates laden with food
Which held the bittersweet taste and comfortable hum of defeat
The weight of her thin blanket
Which barely covered her trembling shoulders
The weight of carrying a smile
Which is nothing but a tired act

Because it would take much more energy to cry
To push the tears all the way from hardly opened eyes
Running on hollow cheeks
Grazing a still lip
Staining the shirt which is suddenly everything to you
It is your anger, your calmness, your armor
Who else will hug you but your shirt?
Yes, the one stained with tears
At least the tears came from your own eyes

And not the eyes of your mom
Shadowed with exhaustion
And not the eyes of your dad
Resting still to hide his tremor

Best they come from your eyes

Perhaps they will carry with them the life
You left stranded, gasping on the floor
You took its air

But you can give it back
Why don’t you give it back?
It is only air

Give it air and Life will pick up the shards of glass
Open your crying hand and place the pieces on your palm
Fold your fingers
Let the glass sink into your skin
You will not be cut

Don’t you know
you need the pieces to build a whole