everything is wound up tight
my heart my chest my mind my voice
my guts are tangled, knotted, frayed
there’s fire in my lungs
and ice in my veins
there’s no hope of rescue
respite
or relief
there’s only one thought:
just remember to breathe
breathe
a spike in your heart rate
in one, two, three
out one, two, three
your fingers itch for a cigarette
that ancient comfort
still tugging at your heart and lungs
in one, two, three
out one, two, three
your feet itch to get moving
but there’s nowhere to go
all you can do is wait and breathe
in one, two, three
out one, two, three
steady yourself
and remember
that the world
will keep on turning
