The Situation is This

by John Grey / September 20th, 2020

The bruises are new but the reaction is old.
Your arm throbs from shoulder to wrist.
You grit your teeth, jab your legs with
sharp fingernails, try to cancel out the ache.

You could leave him but you’ve no place to go.
Your situation has become yourself.
Dependence has cut off all your exits.

Skin’s blotched purple.
but it will fade in time.
Your body knows how to heal.

If only it were all of you.

John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident, recently published in New World Writing, North Dakota Quarterly and Dissident Voice. Latest books, ”Between Two Fires”, “Covert” and “Memory Outside The Head” are available through Amazon. Work upcoming in California Quarterly, Birmingham Arts Journal, La Presa and Shot Glass Journal. Read other articles by John.

This article was posted on Sunday, September 20th, 2020 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.