A Message to My Younger Self

I crashed awake

In your room

I was battered and bruised

My head ached

I was confused

Groaning and licking my wounds

The light bled

Onto your bed

Burning my eyes

Feeling like death

I couldn’t help what I felt

As I was leaving yours

A sucker punch to the gut

As I was leaving yours

I wanted the pavement to swallow me up

I held my head

And walked out the door

Still in yesterday’s clothes

Still had the stench

Of perfume and your

Morning breath on my nose

At the traffic lights

Short of breath

Replaying everything

I might have said

I couldn’t help what I felt

As I was leaving yours

Surrounded by stillness and calm

As I was leaving yours

I lost the feeling in both of my arms

It’s not worth getting down over it

You know that they’re only human

Don’t you?

You know that,

It’s not worth getting down,

All curled up on your bed in the foetal position

Don’t you?