no matter
how many              hours i built
up my                                     script
for the                                          assignment
i had to                                                do well on
the blood                                                            ­    
curdling                                                    ­      
anxiety                                  couldnt help but
to sweep                                                 it
away                                    out my
heavy, saturated mind
and then its gone


“among the
ancient ruins         of…” i pause
i knew                                         this like
the back of                                     my hand
why could                                                i not
recite                                                  it? the
long long                                  speech
i spent                           4 hours
memorizing gone with a
gust of wind

     would                                                 one not
    remember                                           a river
        that they have                              swallowed
       whole? is it strange                     that it has
        simply evaporated in the             blink of an
        eye, freshwater       stains on the     walls of a
        cup made                      to quench    my long
            lived thirst. i                   am left dry and lonely,
           laying in                              a desert drier than
                              my empty,                            wordless mouth.                                      


        there is simply nothing left to do but stand
        on a stage and stutter, the tantalizing irises
of those                                                    
surrounding                                            
threatening                                              
      ­                 to swallow me like black holes. a                              
                             familiar buzzing ignites in my                                              
blood. anxiety                                        
squeezes my lungs.                                
the sky above me                                    
         opens up and my invisible words dance in
                      the wind, wishing me luck, and then they’re gone