Couldn't

They keep saying

'she's a big girl
she can take care of herself'

but it was all I
could do
to keep hanging on
trying to make the tears

stop.

And she would drift
from my grasp,
sinking into herself
and they'd tell me

'its her own fault

she knows she's hurting
herself'

So I watched
from the sidelines
as his bitter hands took hold
and shook the life
from her lovely face.

I
Never said a word,
believing the lies
of
'we aren't sleeping
together, anymore
i swear'

Yet her words
crashed when the
nights got too long
and days
too tired to wake.

And I could do nothing
but
stand and stare
and hope that my
shadow would be
comfort on her down days.

and I
was more helpless
than she felt
when he
had other girls

because I couldn't
save her
from
his massive desire



      or herself.