The Despair of Hope
by Sam Hendrian
Feb 22, 2026 | Poetry | Alarm, Unexpected Hope
Stopped waiting to hear back from her
After realizing how contrastingly similar we were
In our approach to circumventing this truth:
To chase acceptance is to risk rejection.
Sometimes “I love you”
Are the last words someone says
Before completely disappearing,
Too afraid they can’t live up to what they’ve promised.
Which leaves me with hope,
The #1 cause of despair
As I sit in bed trying to convey
My perception of her reason for no reasons.
But most people don’t want to be known
Beyond the mask they put on
Assuming they’ll lose control
Of autonomy over their soul.
Well, I still love her anyway
Without any intention to disappear;
I’ll just stay right here
In case she decides to reappear.
Sam Hendrian is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, poet, and playwright striving to foster empathy through art. From writing personalized poems for passersby outside of LA’s oldest independent bookstore every Sunday, to making Chaplin-esque silent films about loneliness and human connection once a month, Sam lives to make other people feel seen and validated.