The bakery in our town has
Cinnamon rolls masquerading as
Patriotic star spangled doughnuts <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Has a quilt shop across the street
With porcelain hand made buttons
In the shape of ice cream cones, a violet hat,
A red heart that fits in my palm<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coincidental it is the same weight as
The bit of chewing gum
You give to me
Palm up
Such a gift <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like the bit of love you placed in my heart
Pinched between forefinger and thumb
It was so like that cinnamon surprise<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You asked for some in return
I gave you more than a pinch
I gave it all \u2013
Again and over and again <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the library here has the solar system
Cut out of shiny silver paper
Hung mostly straight on the walls
Around a yellow sun <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I show you how you are the center
Of my everything
By giving you that heart shaped button
And half of my sprinkles,
Scraped from the top, a whole universe
To fit in your hand
Here, in our town <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s there, a powerful undercurrent that wants to drag me down with it.
I
don\u2019t
know
what it\u2019s like to drown <\/p>\n\n\n\n
but I know what it\u2019s like to drown in the current of
things
I want
to forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It happens in five stages. Drowning. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1.) SURPRISE! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s not a birthday surprise, no happy shouts; you\u2019re underwater. Muted by
circumstances, slippery liquid agents of destiny.
2.) I hold my breath.
Hold on tight, against my will.
The things I want to forget aren\u2019t what kill me.
My esophagus closes; I suffocate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.)\n(blackness) (sinking) \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4.)\nJerking, convulsions, tremors, violent trashing, slowed by the weight\nof the external. This is my body fighting. I cannot speak. My body\ndoes for me. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5.) Cardiac Arrest: My heart
stops <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charlie M. Broderick spends her days playing with her husband, daughter, son, and three cats. She writes when she has alone time, which isn\u2019t very often. Currently, she\u2019s working on a poetry collection, a YA saga, a children\u2019s book, and a novel. One of these days she hopes to have time to finish something. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our Town The bakery in our town hasCinnamon rolls masquerading as Patriotic star spangled doughnuts Has a quilt shop across the streetWith porcelain hand made buttons In the shape of ice cream cones, a violet hat, A red heart that fits in my palm Coincidental it is the same weight as The bit of chewing … <\/p>\n