"Public"

June 19th, 2009

The light's relentless,

The fan too loud,

Buzzing incessantly

In my ringing ear.

The lines are too sharp,

Jagged slashes,

all harsh edges.

Two hours remain,

So I wait.

The voices outside,

The laughing and playing,

It's loud, so jarring

My heart grips tighter.

There're strings in my stomach,

Coiling it, binding it

As the time creeps over

The hours I must pass

Before the challenge,

Before I step up.

I've no back door,

No quick escape,

Just that beast and me.

So I gulp stale air,

Force my eyes alert,

Open.

The time's come.

She's prepared.