"You Sit Down to Write" by Smurph

You sit down to write

And there is a sloth about your neck.

The words flow like marbles, dropping individually to the paper, dammed back

By the droop of your eyelids

And the tremors in your hands.

The face of the clock is blurring

But you know it isn’t late enough

So you push the heavy creature aside

And you keep writing.

You sit down to write

And there are moths fluttering in your chest

Making a home inside your ribs

Lifting, everything becoming that much lighter

And the words float out of you

Like each is a single gossamer insect

Seeking the light.

You sit down to write

And there’s a dragon clawing at your throat.

You can feel its breath sting your eyes

And the words roar out of your pen

Burning the page

Then extinguished by the tears that quickly follow.

It escapes from you in bursts of heat

And bloody anger

And it flies away

Leaving behind the taste of ash in your throat

And the promise of return.

You sit down to write

And there is something inside you

Deeper than the moths.

If you turn your head quickly enough

You can see feathers

And hear the beat of fragile wings.

This is the most valuable creature

And the only one

That will not fly away.

Treasure it.