I said shaking—
it burns, it burns, it burns,
and she says, "Breathe''—

Easy like that
when the air tastes like fire
and my ribs are ribs
in the worst kind of cage.

The universe lines me up
shoots me down
with a cosmic rail gun—
no warning
an act of mercy—

I fall—
a constellation of bruises
bringing me down
telling my lungs
please
just once more—
breathe
just breathe.