How to Revive a Dying Heart

with E M I L I A

A dying heart
cannot be placated
by a sporadic
IV drip
of attention
cannot be soothed
with small
gestures
of faith
cannot be pacified
by any amount
of logic
and
will
absolutely
not
be analyzed
into submission.

A dying heart
cannot be calmed
by attempts
to show it care
listening
to its pleas
and pain
with genuine
apologies
while simultaneously
holding
the knife
to its tender skin
choking out aliveness
with ropes of
seeming security
seeming benefit
seeming loyalty
to something
outside of
itself.

A dying heart
cannot be revived
while segmented
and compartmentalized
cannot be healed
through bribery
negotiation
or compromise
cannot be nourished
by breadcrumbs
of suffering
acknowledged
and cannot be healed
by kind words
alone.

No,
a dying heart
softly
begs
for full trust
and
surrender
backed
by decisive action
and the gentlest
compassion
(whether another
questions
its knowing
or not.)

And in that—
that unconditional
honoring
each step made
in quiet confidence
in “yes,
I hear you”
in “yes,
I believe you”
transmits
an invitation
to every star
to enter
the dying heart
as aliveness
once again.