a fragile likeness

shy on the inside with

nails bitten to the bone,

nerve-racked & exhausted

with trying to be normal,

sick of trying to find out what

that is,

he sits down next to her

& she with a paranoia that

keeps her inside most of the

time, caused from years of

abuse when she was growing

up, caused by neglect &

trauma that she might never

speak of to anyone,

but which swirl round in her

head every hour on the hour---

the both of them have “issues,”

the both of them are stumbling

through conversation,

but there is a beautiful, wonderful,

fragile likeness,

between two people who up till’ now

have felt that

they would never have such a

conversation,

with anyone who wasn’t getting paid

to give advice, calling it “therapy.”