A Forest of Sadness

There is a forest of sadness
I wander in from time to time,
stumbling, surprised,
upon its winding ways,
long hidden in forgetfulness,
tucked away beyond the well-worn paths
of the everyday, the familiar.

There is comfort
in its sombre embrace,
a peaceful acquiescence
to pain long past,
a gentle hug of empathy,
a breath of courage
to move on.