Pain is a Heavy Backpack
(Published in: Sandcutters 2023 anthology)
His pain he carried with him
in a heavy dark backpack,
stuffed full of his laptop,
books, and various possessions
given to him by people
who had long ago distanced
themselves from him.
He wore too much clothing
in warm weather.
When he went out walking,
he never appeared light
and unencumbered.
Even during times he had a home,
he couldn’t set his pain down,
leave it in a room.
He could never trust anyone
with the pain he packed away,
so he carried it with him
everywhere he went.
