I’m fine

trauma is trapped inside emotion

that sits in the cage of my chest

poison ivy pain wraps around bars

that rattles in the storm

behind the sternum-ed wall

screams that haven’t escaped the prison

lay in iron beds hardened with frost

stopping the seep from chest to tongue

from tongue to lip, lip to air

air to echo to ears that hear

that judge, that shame, that watch

down the diaphragmatic depths

desolation punches the dam

stress coils and entwines with anxiety

its shrieks of mimicry – whispers of lies

the “I’m okay’s” the “I’m fine”

the need to turn yourself inside out

to release and shed the shame

the pain, the blame, the ache of emotional agony

the rage, the guilt, the fullness of everything

of emotion, of memory,

of moments you can feel but can’t quite remember

the trap you can’t free yourself from

being inside your body but feeling outside

being an observer, a nothing

outside, you’d never know

outside, you’d think nothing is wrong with me

inside I feel so full

inside I feel so empty