Breathe Out

A child clenched his fist,
The darkness of the tunnel
Was endless.
He held his breath
With naive determination.
He was taught
By his grandmother
That holding breath
In a tunnel will make
You wish come true.
So he did.
The walls were moving
Past him, seated
Inside a blue sedan.
Just a little more
And light will be appearing,
In a little while he can let go,
And with a hunger
Take another breath.



The man I love walks in.
I look at him - a torturous need
To see emotion reflected in his eyes.
I am afraid of what my own eyes show,
Taking him in, seeking confirmation.
I want to reach out, hold his hand,
Show him how much I care,
Yet I stop myself again,
Proudly defiant.
I fight against my willingness to be weak,
And finally burst out: "I love you".
My tunnel ends, I can take a breath now.