Volcano by Kamya Patwardhan

VOLCANO

By Kamya Patwardhan

I WALK THROUGH A FIELD, BEAUTIFUL AND GREEN, LIFE FLOURISHES ALL AROUND ME, FULL OF LOVE AND PEACE. BUT UNDERNEATH LIES A DARKNESS, ERUPTING LIKE A VOLCANO, SHOWERING DEBRIS AND ROCKS, THE WEIGHT ENOUGH TO CRUSH ME

I TIPTOE, ON THE EDGES, MEEK AND QUIET, NOT WANTING TO DISTURB THIS PEACEFUL SLUMBER, BUT THE AIR IS ALREADY WARM. THIS VOLCANO, ALREADY FEELS ME THERE. IT SUCKS ME IN, A SHIMMERING VORTEX OF PURE MISERY. WE ARE FRIENDS, BUT IT DOES NOT REMEMBER. IT IS NOW TOO LADEN WITH BITTERNESS AND DISTRUST. NO HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, AND CERTAINLY NO HOPE FOR TOMORROW.

THERE IS A CROSSFIRE, BETWEEN YOU AND YOURSELF. I AM STUCK, FROZEN IN THE ASHES OF THE EXPLOSION, WANTING TO HELP, LIKE YOU SO DESPERATELY WANT,

BUT LIKE YOU SO DEEPLY HATE I EXPLODE, AND SOON DISSOLVE INTO WIND, THE SMOKE BILLOWING ABOUT, BECOMING NOTHING MORE THAN A VOICELESS FRAGMENT, DRIFTING WITH NO PURPOSE,

BY JUST A FEW SHARP WORDS, THAT YOU NEVER MEAN, BUT YOU CAN’T HELP.

I WISH YOU KNEW, I WISH YOU COULD SEE. I WISH YOU UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU ARE DOING. YOU ARE DESTROYING EVERYTHING, THE MOUNTAINS YOU CLIMBED, THE GARDENS YOU GREW, AND THE CITIES YOU BUILT. WATCHING, AS THEY ALL CRUMBLE, INTO ASH.

I WANT TO HELP, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T THINK YOU NEED IT, I WANT TO HELP, EVEN WHEN I’M MAD AT YOU, I WANT TO HELP, EVEN IF I DON’T KNOW HOW.

I’M HERE, WHEN ENDS COME TO MEET, IN YOUR DARKEST HOUR. AS THE GROUND RUMBLES BELOW MY FEET, I’M HERE, WHEN THE SUN IS SETTING, AND THE MOON STARTS TO RISE, STARS GLISTENING OVERHEAD, AS YOU SIT QUIETLY ONCE MORE, I PROMISE YOU, I’M ALWAYS HERE, IN THE BEFORE AND THE AFTER, AND I’M HERE FOR YOU.

I’LL SAVE THE MOUNTAINS, PRESERVE THE GARDENS AND CITIES, STAND BY, AND MAKE SURE, THE DON’T HARDEN INTO ROCK OR DISSOLVE INTO ASH, I WILL REMIND YOU, THAT WE ARE FRIENDS, AND WE ALWAYS WILL BE, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT.

EVEN WHEN I’M MAD AT YOU, I WANT TO HELP, EVEN IF I DON’T KNOW HOW. I’M HERE, WHEN ENDS COME TO MEET, IN YOUR DARKEST HOUR. I’M HERE, WHEN THE SUN IS SETTING, AND THE MOON STARTS TO RISE, STARS GLISTENING OVERHEAD I PROMISE YOU, I’M ALWAYS HERE, AND I’M HERE FOR YOU.

I’LL SAVE THE MOUNTAINS, PRESERVE THE GARDENS AND CITIES AND REMIND YOU, THAT WE ARE FRIENDS, AND WE ALWAYS WILL BE, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT

“I promise you-I’m always here”