All She Needed
All she needed was
a hand to hold
someone to be there
not leaving
someone to talk to
saying, “This sucks,
I never imagined
it would be so.”
And I said to her
“It’s not the kind of thing
we plan for.”
She looked at me full—
dark, hollow nursing home eyes
suddenly lit, searching for
the thread of connection
nodded affirmation
and the wild, frightened animal
reflex sat back
instantly calmed
upon being received.
—Kristen Spexarth