Her eyes would sparkle
When I handed her one
I was always in search of them
Just so I could see her light
The sadness lingered around her
With an air so thick
I often got lost in it
I could see her struggle
Trying to shake it off with
That Insane laugh of hers
Always reassuring me
Everything was okay
Her lips and eyes
Lying every time
With such classic
Beauty and grace
She made it easy
To believe
Then one day
She
Was
Gone
No goodbyes
No explanations
Family asking if I had seen her
Not nearly as alarmed as I was
They were use to these episodes
She disappeared quite often
Escaping her current reality for
The Blue Ridge Mountains
There was talk of her seedy past
The old boyfriend who dealt meth
Trying to kick her own addictions
But always getting lured back in
I ran into her years later
She acted as if nothing happened
Oblivious to any worry she caused
Her eyes had grown tired
She had given up the fight
Exchanging pleasantries
We hugged one another
Goodbye
I knew that was the last time
I would see her face.
~Amber C. Smith (Autumn 2014)
