The Bridge

Can we meet up? I have something to say.
A voice on the end of the line, says okay.

"We can meet up but I will have no reply."
"I just want to wake certain things where they lie"

I meet up with him, but it’s been a while.
I look in his eyes and force awkward smiles.

He looks to the ground and we start walking.
Nothing is said yet, there’s no point in talking.

The silence is tense and I can feel his anger
His impulse to just reach over and strangle
my neck with his hands until I am lifeless
But walk on we do in the empty silence

The only sound is the voice of our pacing
Just like the days when our young hearts were racing

Only this time it’s different things just aren’t the same
There’s broken trust here and I am to blame

The forest is lonely and dark from the shade
The wind rustles leaves in a daily parade

A leaf falls before us and lands on the ground
Orange in color, but soon to be brown.

Departed from branches, as you are from me
Like missing a member of my family tree.

We come to the bridge and we look both ways
Ensuring this won’t be the end of our days

In the past here we’d seen quite a few trains
Cracked out junkies and storms of rain

Graffitti lines on all the walls of the bridge
Holding it together like a wound with a stitch

There’s a break in the forest and the sun is shining
We make it across as a train passes, grinding

Not a word has been said yet; we climb down the mud
And we stand at the edge of the water front

"I’m sorry" I say looking into the flow
I go into my pocket to reach for the notes

I hold out the letters sent to me from before
Signed with I love yous from his wife that's no more

I hold up a lighter and I start to burn all.
They turn orange then brown like leaves in the fall

I throw them into the water and they drift.
They float downstream and we both have a sit.

We watch them and I say "I made a mistake."
Watching our past travel straight down to the lake.

He looks at me and smiles. Then puts his arm around me.
“Water under the bridge” says my friend, “let it be.”