It came to me like snails come a garden:

ready to consume.

It swallowed me up like a wave full of salt,

burning and brushing.

It torn me in two like the plates of the earth when they tear down houses.

It broke me.

Truly

Shatter my soul into two halves.

The half that nobody will ever touch again,

and the half that you keep locked away.

It’s hidden in the dark wooden desk draw.

You can feel it beat when you sit down.

When you finally retire,

you’ll leave it there,

having forgotten about me

in the rubble of your wake.