No One At All

Wandering up the coast highway
filled with despair and regret
asking myself why I go on
An old Russian fort looms ahead
and I make a small side trip
out to the edge of the cliff
overlooking the sea
I stand looking out over the water
tears rolling down my cheeks
exhaustion consuming my mind
making it hard for me to think of
a reason to continue on
I stare straight down
to the rocks and sand below
and I wonder how it would feel
If I would feel anything at all
If it would be quick
If I would lie down there in agony
for an unknown time before
the sweet blackness takes me
I decide that I don't care
the burden of life is too much
for a seventeen year old girl
homeless and wretched
I step a little closer to the brink
steeling myself for the plunge
close my eyes and just as I start to take that last step
A woman's voice speaks from behind
'It's a wonderful view isn't it?
Kind of makes you glad to be alive.'
Opening my eyes, I turn to see
who is there talking to me
wasting my time when I could be
dead and gone already
and I see standing there
on the headland with me
no one at all
I stand there as the sun sets
and, yes it really is a wonderful view
As the darkness creeps in from the east
I turn away from the precipice
and walk on up the highway