Puppet Poem by Piper Banks

Suffocation
Strain on my throat
On my chest
In my eyes
Blood pumps through my veins
Warm and fast
I can't breathe
My mouth searches for air
An opening waiting to be filled
Crick in my neck
Tension along my jaw
Dust fills my lungs and settles amongst my bones
I lay in this labyrinth of my mind
The doors to life have closed
My toes curl
Anguish
I cannot be still
The pain takes over my body
Every muscle in me is no longer under my control
I am a puppet
My limbs are controlled by the strings of fate
Splinters cut through my skin
My heart is rotted wood
I cannot move
Suffocation