emotional hostage

 

a Gulliver held

 by the Lilliputian lines and phrases

of another's desperation;

scrambled affection;

urgent pleas of validation;

token compliments.

 

cast adrift in the sea

of self pity and abasement

in which one is the only life preserver.

unwittingly.

unwillingly.

unprepared.

yet terrified of causing the tsunami of turmoil

that could cause another soul to drown

forever.

 

haunted

by shades of what if and what where

of crystals gone dark

of lives unlived

of time past by

unrelenting limbo

of cries of freedom

of voices unheard

of fear to act or not.

-ejv 2013