Danielle Bettke

Constantly they check twice,
Their fate is never changing,
People come and go, objects move back and forth,
The door swings open, shut and open again,
...

Standing still, looking forward and confused, the men cry and hug and blame,
Fists raised in anger, screaming and charging into the darkness,
Where their time may come to an end, through the light of the tunnel,
Men crawl and pant, struggling to see past the brightness,
...

Stay in bed, curled up, motionless, focusing only on your breathing,
Looking up, seeing white, seeing texture, seeing nothing.
Getting up, getting dressed, slowly, focusing only on how the clothes slide against your skin,
Making coffee, smelling sweetness, focusing only on the drip, drip, drip,
...

A flower only cries when it rains because no one can comes out to see its beauty.
Flowers need sun, light, fresh air and clear skies,
Because people only appreciate its beauty.
What happens when the flower is cut? Sliced but not killed.
...

Shopping is an emotional rollercoaster.
You know what you want,
You may get distracted,
You could make a list,
...

I watch my breath leave my body,
Swinging my legs,
Back and forth,
The quiet of the night,
...

I lay on the operating table,
In a flimsy paper dress.
Doctors run around,
Trays rattle,
...