My Darling Dreadful Thing

by Johanna van Veen

Darkness lies ahead, yes, but so do joy, solace, and, above all, love.

Some things are so horrible that the only sane response is a bit of madness.

I wondered how she could touch me so easily and why such an easy thing to her shattered me every time.

“Who dared do that to you?” I asked. Who must I hate? Who must I destroy?

Some things are so shameful, so painful, that we lock them away deep inside us and pretend they don’t exist.

wishing this moment had passed already, then wishing it could last forever.

when you wake, please come haunt me.”

But all this love, all this yearning, it has to mean something.

Until then, I’ll let the memory of her possess me.