in the presence of a stranger

I cried

talking about unrequited love
your old lover
my failures and wounds

my wish to have been honored
to have been given the gift
of truth
and respect

the tears streamed down my face
hot in the already warm room
the rug underfoot was a south west sunset
one which we saw together
now my tears wet it
extinguished its fire

At that moment I paused
my wavering voice
filled the room
yet the heat from my wet eyes
made the space seem quiet

I finally looked at this strangers face
and realized she had tears in her eyes too -
for I was at the point in the story where I said

"I just want love and I want truth
and I want to be treated with kindness...
but that's not what has ever happened
and now I have to deal with it all again,
broken and alone"

her kind face crumpled in sadness and I fell apart
I rested my head back and let the tears
stream down my neck and into my hair

in just under an hour
I described the struggle of childhood
the abuse as a teenager
and the tender love
that has just unraveled
in my heart

all in the presence of a stranger