I breathe in
That sweet taste of oxygen.
I feel it,
pushing on the walls of my lungs until they just might burst.
I love it.
The taste of life,
Of love,
Of "faster, better, stronger,"
Of "I can get through this,"
Of "this breath is mine."

Exhale

You are the air within me,
the breath my body needs.
I love you.
I need you.
You are my oxygen.
(You are mine)

I breathe in,
But...where is my oxygen?
I taste something bitter.
My lungs are bursting,
Or deflating.
They're dying.
Where are you now?

Quickly I inhale.
Short, quick breaths
Breaths with no air.
I'm struggling now.
I'll take CO2
I'll take smog or fog or that depleted ozone atmosphere,
But I think I'm in a vacuum.
Try breathing in a vacuum.


Abba, where are you now?