she is
trapped
an arid word she’d never thought to use herself
on behalf of herself
not in this timeline
a word she’d used often
in the pasts of passing

how is she
captured
again
she wonders
how has she deemed herself the hunter
while assuming a position of prey
well she must have feltbeenseen
both
she decides

a radical breeder of choice
her surroundings provide few outs and far ins between
each crippling to a savage end

has she killed herself on repeat
she ponders

the spear has dulled
yet it pierces nonetheless
while she bleeds muchthemore

a hickory syrup of muted acceptance

lessons unlearned until
no escape
no endurance
she traces the sap
in search of injuries
to find
none

elbows traverse the chest
an embrace of
compression
compassion
she shovels the fever of her pulse
knuckle fist knuckle nail

breathing her own breath
in
out
she counts
in
out
she counts
in
out
controlled
in
out