To leap

He stood at the precipice,

With unblinking vacant eyes,

The water shimmering far below,

His face had the eerie calmness

Of having weathered a storm.

"Don't jump", Startled, he looked at me,

And for a moment those eyes,

Had a strange wonder.

Then vacant again and the lips firm,

"You don't understand", said he   

"Please, talk to me", I implored

He opened his mouth with soundless words.

"Just pause…Nothing is ever lost.

It will surely pass.

Just come back to this side, and we'll talk"     

He gave a sudden smile that lit up his eyes

"Thank you" he said as he extended his hand,

And asked if I knew the story of Pandora's box

"Yes", I said with relief, his hand in mine

Tugging at him to climb back,

He looked me straight in the eye and said,

"But, what if there's no hope in the end…?"

And in the blink of an eternal moment,

He let go and leaped

-       

(Based on the real final moments of someone who jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge, mentioned at a TED conference)