to be ____ is to be devastated
by family
and lovers
and on the rare occasion
well meaning friends.

to be devastated is feeling
safe until a rug is
pulled away with a flourish
that looks like care

to feel safe is an illusion
concocted by thoughts
like;
they are the exception
everyone else thinks this, but
surely they don’t
until you learn they do
and always have

an illusion is thinking you
could ever be anything but
the ____ friend.
Stay in your ___ box
don’t come out ‘til you’re better