I've been sleeping all day
and all night lately.
dreaming of fire escapes,
to save myself
from a burning reality.
my waking consciousness
is a box on your doorstep
marked
"fragile"
but clearly the label
has been overlooked,
the box under-appreciated.
damaged and dilapidated,
I am reminded of something
my mother used to say.
"what doesn't **** you
makes you stronger"
but in these
painful
waking
hours
what doesn't **** me,
simply makes me wish
it had.