Writing and Photography by Jeff E. Brown

Don’t ask what I’ve done.
The list is too long
And the answer helps no one.

Acts of desperation and shame,
Though maybe I’m not the best judge.
But more than enough to warrant the blame.

You can’t hurt me more
Than I already have. I’m brutal.
I punish and punish like never before.

I try to be open to warmth and sincerity,
But the traumas
Live in my soul, etched in terrifying clarity.

I need to feel love and a dose of relief.
Some way to accept and move on.
But I can’t find the hope in all that I see.

This is really a prayer, a wish out loud.
Maybe if I can’t do it
You can show me you’re proud.

© 2022 Jeff E. Brown. All rights reserved.