Sometimes your heart is aching,

breaking, torn in two by sorrows keen.

You know you knew but didn't know

you knew 'til now. You thought you

merely dreamed.

Gifts Freely Bestowed

 When one we love is suffering

And in their eyes we see

An ocean of pain,

A mountain of hurt

And myriad miseries,

When their heart is torn

And the mangled threads

Of nature’s covering bares

A broken heart--a stranger found

It was shattered and broken, the packing scuffed and torn

The box beneath the Christmas tree was smudged by grime

and worn.

The role of care-giver in addicted or otherwise dysfunctional families is that of an "adultified" child who assumes responsibility for her siblings--even when it robs her of her own life.

A poet is like a sponge, soaking up the feelings of others and expressing the experiences of many. My heart is no longer shattered, though I sometimes notice the pain of past bruising. Yet, I will not forget. I will remember the pain and rejoice in the healing. Like a little lamb, drawn to the Master's side, I will go--and He will carry me.