DUTY

By Marie Lee

I cauterise my heart and feel vibrations of crowing.

Scrabbling, drowning

fingers raw and numb

powerless to creeping holes in abandoned spaces.

Trampled by words

And shrapnel delivered through gilded letters,

so thin the veil cannot be seen.

Required to submit.

Entitled victory surveying the yielding loss.

Stepped on to remain out of the light.

Silent and still in the depths of the night

I lie awake and cauterise my heart.

#darkpoetsclub