Giants

Right now there is no joy.
Utter darkness is all around me. Literally.
I am shrouded in a dark sadness.
It won't last forever but I am burdened. Heavy hearted.

When I was young I could conquer giants. Now I just want to move around them; like road blocks.
What is the path of least resistance? It doesn't matter because there will be another giant in the road.
Staring me down. Roaring his great roar. Shaking his great fist. I'm not scared.
I'm just tired.

I'm not alone. I look to my left and to my right and those around me are staring at their own giants.
Their giants are fiercer than mine. One girl's giant - it has fangs and sharp claws. He is reaching for her and trying to crush her with his fist. I want to help her. But I can't. I don't even have pebbles to toss his way; to make him stumble. I yell to her, "Look over here. You are not alone!". I can see the sorrow in her face. I can hear her anguished cries. God, why do I have to watch this.

Sometimes the giant sleeps. He snores loud, rattling, wheezy snores. I like it when he sleeps. When he wakes up he is in a better mood and we can exist together. He's doing his giant things and I'm doing my people things. Once, he got a thorn in his flesh and he was pissed off. He thought it was my fault. He actually spit at me. Can you believe it? Giant slobber all over my body. That happened the other day. I'm still shaking off the giant goo. It's sticky stuff and sometimes it feels like it is crushing me from all directions.

I'm traveling through the valley right now. A valley full of giants. I'll make it through to the other side. I hope the others do too. I worry about them. Loosing their footing here or there. Stumbling and not being able to get back up. Sometimes (and this is the worst) the other girls lose their direction. They'll get off the path and go the wrong way. When that happens it's like their minds get poisoned. I don't know if it's the fear of having gotten off the correct path or maybe they ingest some toxin. When they find you they charge you with their steely daggers. Sometimes, even if you are quick, they will cut you just a bit and the sting is so, so sharp. Even if there isn't much blood. I don't know why they come at you like you are the enemy. Like you are the giant. I know this girl and I know she's not thinking straight; she has poison blood. But the betrayal hurts worse than the daggers.

I see one girl down the road. She is limping along. She's tiny but she has fire in her eyes. All the giants fear her. They've all talked about her. Sized her up, taken their shots. No matter what weapon they try to use against her, she has super powers all packed into that teeny little person. They respect her but these giants are bullies and they knock her down but she just gets right back up. She's like a rubber ball. I like her.

These are my giants and some of theirs.