Strident Voices - Dawn Ray'd

It is hard to look at her

She holds my gaze and it stings my eyes

An ache that threads

Through my brain

As hard as I try I cannot think

Of what reason she would give

For accompanying me

And I don’t ask, in case she cannot either

I look upon her as though a stranger

What brought us here?

What absurdity that we two have any connection?

Every day

I am the understudy

Disconcertingly drafted in

To convince of a character

That is greater than I

That no one expected me to truly ever be

Oh the grace, the strength

That she has never realised she has;

As it would have been the death of us

And surely the making of her

Loyalty in her reaches new heights

Beauty has taken a new turn

Inadequacy has found a new name

And it is mine