Just a crack
I pulled back the curtain
drawn over my secret self.
Exposed some small truth hidden inside.
Insecurity, fear,
measured out
testing.
Will it be held in contempt
or with care and tenderness?
Will fragile vulnerability be sidelined with humor,
monitored for advice,
trolled for criticism?
But  you,
you took my words and held them close
as you would a  bird with broken wing,
cautious, tender.
And then you cracked open your own curtain
with truth telling and pooling eyes
you passed the wounded bird to my hands
to hold gently
as our two selves breathed freer
accompanied
in  human experience by caring presence.
no longer alone.