will it be the tic...or the toc...

 
the air feels like barbed wire
clawing at my crawling flesh
as I try to navigate my way
past the nuances of conversations
beyond my comprehension
I seem to have misplaced my ability to process
chewing words in my mouth
until they dissolve
hoping they don't inadvertently spill out
because today...
..is just too much
iron pressed on constricted chest
concrete feet
& a desperate need
...to run
sitting instead
in silence
a smile pasted in place
listen closely...
perhaps you'll hear the ticking
as the timer nears its end
& I evaporate
into the nothingness
threatening to overtake




riding the struggle bus today...