Tears

They are the ocean upon which

life sails; waves lapping steadily

against the shore of our stories.

Each wave brings in the broken pieces

of former journeys, some as jagged behemoths,

others as tiny chunks worn smooth.

It is your own beach, yet not even you

know tide’s syncopated struggle.

Stay put, and be washed each day,

letting the moon's pull have its way.

The vessel of your relationships

anchors just beyond the first sandbar.

The day will come when you

find the courage to swim,

with fragments in your hand,

out to the waiting ship.

The you who climbs aboard

is not the you who last sailed,

neither are you alone.

Collective wisdom and comfort

from previous journeys

guide and hold you now.

This, the tear’s path,

safely carrying both you

and your fractured history

into a hope-filled present.

© 2013 Todd Jenkins