Felt
By Steven L Herring

Sometimes I forget the fire
inside me
Lungs lumped with coal
Every exhale
a chance to burn it all down

Through clenched teeth
disaster awaits unrelenting release
Furiously curious
with the question of the day
Why can't I control chaos?

My soft hands remember the
calluses like it was yesterday
Where have you gone old friend?
Have you gone off the deep end
or are you teetering
on the edge of the board?

But that pool holds no water
and your heart was meant for more
Cracks in the concrete crumble
over time and time again
is nobody's friend past the clock

Be still my heart
as it beats out of my chest
for the chance to love again
and rest on the arrest of feelings
Rushing
Pushing
Finding their way out from burial
long forgotten and left for dead

I'm a quieter fighter than most
but the sun shines on me now
and I'll take every stray ray
I can get and every smile I can wear
I'll just keep driving...