Chronic Hurt

The pain that returns to life

Rip out my aching throat

sore from a million tears

with your sharp, pale hands

reach

into my hollowed-out chest

through mangled innards…

find the shriveled heart:

take it

smash it

grind it

push it

into the ground

obliterate

it into powder

and let the dust

haplessly drift

on southwestern winds

until finally

the ashes drift down

and find a home

to grow full in

one more aching time