Sometimes,
all you can do
is bring donuts
to those times
when there are no words

Maybe you ask,
“so, how are you doing?”
even though
you know
they aren’t doing
all that well.

It is an invitation
to speak,
to say anything,
no matter how
mundane,
inane,
or profound.

You sit,
quietly,
awkwardly,
but fully present.

You hold
part of a donut
wishing
somehow
you could make it all better.

You look down at your hands
wishing
you could say something
do something,
and slowly
perhaps irreverently
or perhaps not,
the words
take shape
in your mind.

“This is my donut
broken for you.”