Hollow Poem by Brittany Quail

this unspeakable feeling
is more or less
this

empty
hollow
surrounded by something
but nothing
everything's touched by the weightless
heart-in-your-throat feeling
of freefall

and my eyes
don't focus
my lips
don't move
I'm barely awake

A slow intake of breath
and a weak trembling
heartbeat
sit at the threshhold
of that solitary door
to death
and that little heartbeat
and that slow lumbering breath
fight and fight
and somehow
they keep the door closed

while they fight
their good fight
others look on at me
others judge me
others take things away from me
and I'm ashamed

it is hollow