take your time, and cherish
each waking breath with fear and admiration.
hold it within you, then release,
in cautious, considered reverie

of course, the simple questions will surface
why am i here? where am i? who am i?
but somehow, an unseen and illusive force is yelling at you to stay
regrettable thoughts preface regrettable actions

and so you stay, no, you linger,
like cigarette smell on car seats,
like perfume on a wool coat;
noticeable, there, no matter what tries to wring you out

ever present, lurking in the shadows
people find it off putting as you watch them commiserate in uncomfortable displays of self
you know their discomfort stems from confusion
you endure countless nightmares of covering velvet in bone