Drowning in Pain and Joy

In a slow pattern of actions and reactions,

we wait and hold the candel of hope

as we are drowning in pain and joy.

Released hostages bringing joy to home

with such a size of deep pain

that is hard to yet define.

Whispering in every turn

with a tear not to speak,

in an unsaid word

that breaks all hearts.

Joy and pain are stitched over,

almost trying to embrace one another

into a new reality of trauma-life.

A slow unrecognizable suffering

for a new hug to come tomorrow,

mixed with love and loss

of past and present.

As the joy and pain hug each other,

the light is there, just next to darkness,

and we must move forward.

Different forms of pain shape the joy;

we try to kick to stay afloat

as we reclaim a new direction.

Swapping pain with joy,

and joy with pain,

that’s the process we now face

as we just cannot escape it.