It’s November 29, 2001.

Jonathan is 22, and has spent more than 10 months heartbroken.

Added to the mix, September 11th has hit all of us like a ton of bricks. Jonathan knows that September 11th will lead to massive warfare, and that hurts his heart too.

Little does Jonathan know at the time, that this is all preparing him to meet Carrie…

In less than 2 months from the time “Crushed” was written, Jonathan will meet Carrie in a bar, speaking German. He will later come to understand that all situations in life are temporary.

No, on this night, November 29th, 2001, Jonathan seems to think he’s completely alone.

He writes the poem below to describe how he feels.

Crushed
by Jonathan Kraft

God,
It’s been most of a year
since I realized that in your plan,
my heart was to be broken.
But why do you have this
lasting so long?
“Let it go” I hear your voice say.
Only I’ve tried.
I’ve tried not to try.
I’ve tried reading.
I’ve tried beating my head with a pillow,
hitting my thumb with a hammer,
tripping over things while trying to let it go.

I’ve tried talking it out,
and processing it out,
and working it out of the muscle.

I’ve tried breathing it out,
I’ve tried praying it out,
and I’ve tried thinking it out.

And yet tonight God,
my heart feels crushed;
as grapes in a press, and
metal in a vice and
cars in an accident.

Crushed.