I cannot

I cannot stop your mother from drinking...

I cannot keep your father from returning home and giving you yet another bloody beating...

I cannot prevent another person in your life from leaving you, hoping to be gone before you awake and having to face another day without her, and the rest who have given up once and for all...

I cannot be there to hold you when you break down in tears
Nor can I wipe any of those tears from your once sweet, now miserable face...

I cannot control your fate or your future decisions...

I cannot stop you from popping those pills or slitting those wrists,
Which have bleed too much as it is...

I cannot loosen the rope around your neck nor get you down from that tree...

I cannot hold you back from the jump only leading you down to drown and sink to the bottom...gone, lost forever...

I cannot make everything instantly better...

I cannot make all your pain disappear...

I can, however, offer you one thing
That is a piece of my heart, yours to keep
Forever or as long as you would like or need

You said you do not want just another shoulder to lean on in your life -
But love and compassion
Well...here I am

It is your decision,
but I truly hope you decide to stick around
Cause I shall be here as long as you are.