I have not been outside in days,
huddled down in my cocoon I have encased myself
with stinging words and florid phrases,
distinctive patterns to my ears,
though perhaps not to others.
Alone, I sing of times of freedom, absolution, and success,
upon reflection, these moments were
anything but what I felt,
I operated without thought
compelled by blind impulse.
I travel through my memories,
each milestone like multiple pins spearing my
fragile, pulpy skin,
these lumpy layers wrapped around my form
trying to keep the embarrassment in.
It is easy enough to pluck the obliging weapons
to watch the paper fall clean away
and I am bone and sinew and muscle,
each vein carries a pulse and a motto
where one must squint in order to readily discern.
go forth go forth
one repeats, red and richly
never look back
you’ll meet your match
forget the past
other veins bleed.
Hastily I grab the loose sheets to wrap myself anew,
a mummy living before your very eyes,
while bloodied, I heal enough
to reveal subtle poignant truths.
But there is a filter which needs to be retained,
a breathing apparatus which saves while one's submerged -
for some revelations can only go one way.
I decide I'm fixed enough,
at least for now, I will rest,
there's nothing left which I would like to say.
© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
All images signed “LMH”
are copyrighted 2019-2020 by Lauren M. Hancock
and all rights reserved.
Image credit: Eva Sandoval
mixkit.co/@evasandoval
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