In a cruel twist of fate, I survived
As one inebriated, the other deteriorated
Both faced their personal demons
Before I even understood why
They hated themselves
And
Each other
Day after day facing the pain alone
In their agony
Reliving the experience over and over
As I struggled to comprehend my existence
I saw the devastation wrought
Of errors in judgment
That occurred in the before
I had taken a breath….
One loss
In the form of two
Perhaps it had been predestined
A conception of despair
Masquerading as hope
Only God knew the truth
Yet, He never told me
I was left to live in the wake
Of their mistakes..
Watching them pretend to be joyous
Pretending to care
My life was a cruel reminder
Foolish actions have inevitable consequences
I later learned
The secret that killed them both, one in the 80s
One many years after
Both faced the pain of the choices they had made
Leaving me to walk alone through this place of shadows and light
With the memory of two people who never reconciled their sins
Though they did their best, each facing the loss
Of their children alone
Yet existing in the same space
They were dying a little each day
Paying a price , perhaps, that was theirs to pay
Or perhaps , was simply an act of fate
That they were meant to share
I was left with the memory of the tragedy
To endure…to mourn all those souls
Alone…
Asking…
Why?

An Original Poem by H.R Beebe