Back against the wall.
Shoulders bearing heavy weight.
I prayed to bend
instead of break
but I guess my spirit was not so malleable.
And so break I did,
into a hundred thousand splendid pieces.
Some shiny.
Some shabby.
Some sparked into a fire
activating Fight or Flight!
in my central nervous system.
Except not—
for all my senses were dulled.
Major Depressive Disorder
plus
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
equeals
Delayed and Inappropriate Response to Stressors.
So I just watched
as the pieces of my soul ignited
and spread like wildfire at my feet.
I welcomed the warmth.
And then the burn
as the blaze engulfed my gutless limbs.
I am convinced
I would have watched myself incinerate
without ever batting an eyelash
toward the flames.
Had it not been for
the wandering wind that called my name.
A silent whisper
across ethereal space
blew out the entire conflagration
and dropped me
in my place.