On the Verge

Posted on by Reena Saxena

There’s someone out there
in the intensive care unit
moving between two worlds
inducing anxiety
and a little fatigue
with the uncertainty
-we stopped counting
days or weeks
but the mounting hospital bill speaks

I reflect on the relationship
She said her life was perfect
and made listeners feel
inadequate

I think about how shattered
loved ones would feel without her
-I take pride in my other-ness
love for my space
which gives others theirs
and makes a parting gentle
-almost imperceptible

I think of the scars on my skin
How happy I would be
to shed this shredded cloak
and don a fresh one
that has not been lacerated
by sharp words
disapproving glances
and sarcastic bullets

Love binds;
Indifference sets you free
I hope she sees this
on the brink of life
hanging by a thin chord
wanting freedom to choose
this world or that

OLN #392

21 thoughts on “On the Verge”

  8. This is such a powerful and deeply moving piece. 🌹 The way you weave raw emotions with stark imagery—scars, sharp words, sarcastic bullets—creates an almost tangible weight of pain, yet it’s balanced by an undercurrent of reflection and quiet resilience. The contrast between love as a bond and indifference as a release is especially profound; it lingers long after reading.

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