Tears

Sadness reigns in so many lives
From loss, from fear,
From raw poverty
And for reasons unknown.
The tears stream
Downward on cheeks
Reddened and shaking
As cries strain for freedom
Salty and swirling
An everyday occurrence.

When I think of death
They rush from my eyes
Sad music, sad movies,
Sad stories, sad news,
It’s so hard to be happy
Truly happy.
To ignore all the chaos surrounding
To ignore all the meaningless suffering
To ignore all the pain
The anguish and hopelessness

But I must cry my tears
As I know that life is pain
And life is death
My tears wash away the stains of living
And remind me I am human
Weak-willed and mortal
As I mourn the loss
Of every person who has lived
On this earth.