I wonder if she’s ever been this afraid before
I want to hold her hand and tell her
that the fear is normal and human

but I am afraid of humiliating her
or perhaps that naming the thing
would crack her will

I want to say
you can trust the Lord and still be angry
you can trust the Lord
and still want to live

instead I ask her to help me with my crossword puzzle
I squeeze all my compassion and shared grief
into drawing her gaze away
from a precipice
that I might be too young to imagine

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