ANGEL

in the last seconds
before you jump  
before the trigger  
is pulled  
or the pills    
go down  
an angel  
out of nowhere,  
a flicker of silver wing  
from the corner  
of a bloodshot eye,  
a whisper  
like a breath of wind  
that says  
the monstrosity  
on your back  
will simply disappear  
in time  
and that  
goddamn,  
what if it doesn't?  
what's the worse  
that can happen  
and you've  
handled more than this  
and always  
always  
come out on top  
or at least pulled through  
and you're smarter  
better  
than this,  
than ending like this  
and you wonder  
whose voice that is  
and think maybe  
it's your mama  
calling out from the grave  
trying to save her baby  
but it's just you  
talking yourself down again  
giving yourself a hug  
in the pitch black    
starless dark  
of another    
lonely night