Ripples
A pebble.
So small, and undamaging
Round and smooth,
Cool to the touch until warmed in the hand
Harmless.
Until it is cast
Then, like ripples in water
More pebbles follow,
Then stones,
Then boulders
A word, like a pebble,
Unthought-of,
Spoken rashly,
Can destroy the mind,
The heart,
The soul.
Ripple after ripple,
A wave builds
A tsunami of pain and destruction
Piece by piece
Broken down
Until there is nothing
Only emptiness
And despair.
Fear overwhelms the body
Sickens the heart
Blackens the soul
Trust is lost
Faith is diminished
Hope is becoming thin
Light and laughter are things of the past
Memories are mere memories
Passions are betrayed
Relationships are questioned;
Consumed in anguish and confusion
None walk untouched
The mind swirls in doubt and uncertainty
Dreams become nightmares
Nightmares plague daylight
Voices haunt and whirl
Good
Bad
No one knows
No one knows anything
Questions
That’s all that is left
Tears leave stains
Leave scars
Unbeknownst to those around
Slowly
Dying inside
Withering and shriveling
Until an empty shell remains
A mask in place
A pretend happiness
When fear clutches the heart
In grasp that chokes
That suffocates
Until breath becomes a reminiscence
But it is good
For that pain
Makes one forget
For the briefest moment
The greatest pain
Slowly
A person is lost
In mind
In body
In soul
One who was once strong
Capable
Determined
Stubborn
Becomes tired
Weary
Sad
Marred
Broken
Scars that will not
Cannot
Heal
Forever a part
Of the one bearing them