Perception

It starts with a numbness. I’m fine.

I am. I’m totally fine. Breathe. Shut

down. Batton all the hatches and 

close all the doors. Don’t let it in;

don’t let it out. Float along on a 

cloud of nothing. Pretend until

A trigger sets off a firework. No, an

explosion. You can’t lie to yourself,

you’re on balanced on a wire, a fuse

an inch from the flame. Try to contain 

it; build a forcefield around it. It’s not

them. It’s definitely you. And right now

You won’t mean what you say. Hurt 

pools at the bottom of the well. You

Can put a cover over it, fill pots with 

fake flowers and use them to hide

the hole. But you know. It’s still there,

and one day you’ll need to drink again.