My Old Friend
It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen
My old friend
Their face: familiar, sunken
It’s been a while since I’ve felt that weight on my chest
Just heavy enough to make it hard to breathe, but light enough so that I can
I can’t remember the last time I felt this flush of warmth across my skin
I almost missed how I slow down, like I’ve got chains on my feet
Unable to move my body
Unable to recognize the passage of time
Unable to eat
Unable to even speak
Cotton stuffed in my mouth
Squeaking against my teeth
I could cry
The tears won’t come
But they almost do