You Can't Know

Unless
You’ve picked
Your spouse up
From a mental hospital
At least
A couple
Of times
You can’t know

Unless
You’ve driven directly
From the hospital
To the barber
Or to a restaurant
To delay
The going home
You can’t know

Unless

You’ve had to practice
Standing peacefully
In each room
Of your house
To erase
The memories
Made there
You can’t know

Unless

You’ve sat with him
Hours, weeks, months
During confusion
You can’t know

Unless

You’ve kept
Both of you
Afloat
While you waited
For confusion
To lift
You can’t know

Unless

You’ve felt the chill
Of seeing
I Give Up
In his eyes
Yet again
You can’t know

Unless

You’ve sat
Extra minutes
In your driveway
Gathering courage
Afraid this
Might be the day
He’s done it
You can’t know

You can see

The very tip
Of the massive iceberg
Underneath

You can catch

The faintest
Glimpses

But unless

You’re the one
It’s happening to
You really
Just can’t
Know