Vertigo

 
It was the tone of voice
that registered
not the words
while I just tried to stay upright
in my rush to grab the phone

As the initial shock
of the call
gave way to what you'd said
the spinning in my head
became a strange underlying metaphor
for the topsy-turvy world
you're now living in

So, I put on my padded suit
your soft place to fall
but I've started to notice
it's got some wear and tear
from the unrelenting cycle of chaos and crisis
of these last few years

There's been little time for repairs
muddling through things I don't share
because you can't make space
for me
maybe someday we'll speak
about the unbalance

For now, I'll do my best
to keep standing
on often unsteady feet