To Build Bridges, by Zisi Berkowitz

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When expectations implode

Fiery explosions on black sky

She gathers the debris

And builds bridges miles high

When disappointment bites

Wild sharp-toothed boar

She patches breached fences

And builds bridges to explore

When frustrating thoughts fetter

Downed, live electric wires

She clears obstructed paths

And builds bridges over mires

When whimsical dreams darken

Nightmares chillingly real

She strengthens healthy friendships

And builds bridges—cables of steel

Oh, to build glorious bridges

To accept and trust and rejoice

To reach deep inside

And silence the negative voice

That impedes creative innovation

Halts progress before it starts

Puts a stop order on the work

That mends minds and souls and hearts

My bridge is not yet finished

It’s a work in progress, though

It’s not the famed Verrazano

Or the infamous Kosciusko

It’s the span that will connect

The splintered parts that ruptured

Piles, girders, trusses, piers

To create a superstructure