an interesting view.

in this story
there are no victims or villains or winners or kings
only a man in a dark room
a man at the front door
a jangle of keys and the click of a can
click. it’s open.
there is no fear but there is
a flinch that doesn’t go away when the sirens sound
and a mark that has long since faded into a thumb crease

perhaps you leave the door open because this is how you think it should be
perhaps because it would mean that
there is hope, just enough to breathe with
dark eyes again, almost faded to black
and terror
click.
perhaps you have lived with the two for so long
that you don’t know how to tell the difference

you lock it in a drawer and pretend
you had the ropes all along
forgive and forget
and by all means feel that way
but there is only one you know how to do

there is light in the tunnel but it’s made out of sea glass
and for years you’ve been at the bottom of the ocean
playing with fish bones and castles made of dirt
click.

it is time to swim.

[Image: the sea. Source: Dani Relbyn. Used with permission.]