! To A God-Daughter On Her Sad Poem Poem by Michael Shepherd

Yes, we get blasé and dismissive on this site –
reading in the reams of Poemhunter posts
‘yet another poem of teenage angst’,
we say, scanning the raw wounds
too rough for poetry – but what else
will ease the pain?

‘I thought we loved each other for ever –
how could you do this to me? …’

we nod our older heads, remembering
just slightly, as if it doesn’t really matter now,
how it was for us…

but then, who writes of happiness,
when happiness seems eternal, hope untested,
and life is to be lived?

that first heartbreak … it seems
there has to be a first one;
a worst one; and only poetry
can begin to salve the wound..
at least you’ve got your poetry..

yes, reams of poems, and all much the same –
but this time, it’s from someone that I know,
and that – that really hurts.. it’s almost worse
than if it happened to me myself – in that
there’s nothing I can say, that’s not been said
a million times.. and a million times, she's said
‘You just don’t understand…’ and of course, she’s right –
it’s the first time in the world, her world,
that this has ever happened…

I’ll say nothing more than what I’ve said;
than what your parents and your sisters say; for,
how can time heal, when there’s no time for time?

(and how could I dare to voice to you the thought –
your poetry will deepen when your heartbreak heals? ...)