drown-proof

in this battle for empathy…
who deserves it more

for you to be empathic
would mean defeat
would mean “I admit I am to blame”
for causing you that pain…

why I said those words
would never be entitled
to receive its empathy
empathy for me
would cancel out
the empathy for you

you’re in a zero-sum game

I’ve been tested many times
tossed into resentment
with my arms and legs bound
impossible to maintain myself
struggling to keep my body afloat
has caused me just to sink faster
not knowing the tricks of drown-proofing
but how simple it is…

let go

it requires the ability to not swim
let yourself sink to the bottom
learn how not to give a f*ck
then push yourself lightly off the floor
and let momentum carry you back up
to grab a quick breath