What started as a favor to a friend, has grown too ugly for me to pretend

  That things can be as they were before, now that you've run to hide and slammed that door

  So afraid that my opinion might somehow get lower, of a so-called 'adult' a petulant toddler tantrum-thrower.

  Actions and behavior that scream for me to leave, words and pity beckon me to stay

  When my aid only leaves you so damned displeased, I'm sick of letting you just have your way.

  You don't deserve to have my help, you always blame me but never blame yourself

  I'm not the one who hides, who lies, who shrivels up and dies instead of swallowing my pride, only to once again rise, true motives hidden in disguise, unable to look me in the eyes before once more stabbing at my sides while I steer you ever onwards to a new day's sunrise.

  So why can't I just leave you to this hell that you've so painstakingly brought upon yourself?

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  The will of mind, the bonds we'd forged. You think you've won a battle, but you actually lost the war.

  We were soldiers once, both you and I, would you please explain to me when you up and died?

  What battle raged what pains have you got, that you long since let the man I knew succumb to this rot?

  This life you 'live' is a cancer, double-thinking, lashing out, unwilling to speak or listen let alone answer

  These logical concerns of mine have been stonewalled. I came to help you up after a hard fall

  So why oh why are you raging at me? The bigger, better man I'm so tired of being.

  Now I finally see that you're truly gone, I don't know the corpse that marches on.

  I owe you nothing, nor did I ever. I'll cut you from my life and be all the better.

  Impossibly still, I can't leave him be. Our long-dead friendship still holds meaning to me.

  Madness to leave and madness to stay, I conjugate thousands of words to say

  But first he must listen, a conversation goes both ways, an exchange taken and given.

  One last second chance I know he doesn't deserve, all that needs be are a few spoken words.

  But he won't even do that, I've done what I can but must now tip my hat.

  The cancer lashes out so deeply perturbed, desperate to have the last spiteful word.

  If only in text I think he may change, but I know that he won't so I must not engage.

  Remain polite and civil, answer back rage with cold will, I finally force down this damned bitter pill.

  The whole world was on your shelf, why the hell won't you just help yourself?

  Because I'm done doing that for you.

  The Irishman. I've spent the past (far longer than I should have) trying to help out a buddy, but I just can't reach down and pull him out of the hole he keeps digging himself. No matter what I say or do, I can't get him to put down the shovel, as it was. He just doesn't listen, not to me, not his other friends, not his boss, not even his partner can get through to him. One by one he poisons everyone that tries to help him turn his life around.

  Some people just are NOT worth your time. You can't let nostalgia and who they were blind you to who they are and who they will be if things keep on as they are in the present. You can't help others without being strong enough to drag them towards a better path and when they keep crawling towards old vices, bad habits and toxic coping mechanisms that's when you need to ask yourself if you're willing to carry that dead weight on your shoulders (more often than not with said weight poisoning you and trying to tear you down / bite off your head in the process) for the rest of your life.