in the corner of your
mind
waiting for morsels
of memory on which to
munch.

The monster likes
the happy thoughts —
the ones that bring
bubbles to your belly
and an upward crinkle
to your lovely lips —
He gobbles them up,
chews the goodness right
from their marrow,
breaking their fragile
skeletons,
twisting them into
terrible creatures
who
scuttle
and
whimper
and
whisper.

They live
in the shadows now —
the memories that
once brought you joy —
rent and broken
by the jaws of the
Monster in your mind.