Blow

Only when your heart constricts
can you squeeze out the words
like a drop of blood, like blowback
into the needle.

Only when your pupils shrink
can you see past the glare and
say it’s like walking through
a forest with no trees.

Only when a hundred pound weight
is sitting on your chest can you say,
“I see storm clouds coming, I see the
clouds rearing up like black pillars.”

Only when you can’t feel your fingers
can you feel the periphery of this thing
flaking and burning and falling off and
can you can you can you can repeat
your mistakes.