Not ready

My hands tremble

As I reach for you

My fear grips my throat

As I wait for

The words that will leave her lips

“he’s okay”

The words bounce

Off the walls of my being

As if the echo

Will help me remember

So that I don’t forget

Because

My mind races

Worried thoughts

Frantically

Trip over each other

Until the warmth rises from my gut

To my chest

To my face

Just like the blood

That falls from the cut that you did not make

My eyes

Flood with warmth

Tears, bittersweet

Fall

And I thank the universe

That the earth hasn’t taken you back

That you

Are still here

That you

Are still breathing