Carmen

I ask how she’s doing.

She tells me “alright.”

I ask again. She sheds a tear. Says,

“ I hold my breath all day

and fucking gasp for air at night.”

She shakes it off. Laughs a little.

Moves on to something light.

But the tear is still on her cheek.

Her shoulders pulled in tight.

She takes a drag of her smoke

and starts a story

Another man she met a bar

Another asshole who didn’t say sorry.

Another bitch that she can’t trust

Another day in purgatory.

She says they won’t let her sleep

Always looking in her windows

Giving her the creeps.

And when her eyes are too heavy

to hold open

She snaps awake,

screaming, sweating, choking.

I want to wrap her in peace

But I feel so helpless.

Watching her drown in the

Desperate and reckless.

So I just listen and pray and brace

Myself for the day

When all that’s left in her place

Is a dark red handprint

Painted on my face.