A Walking Consciousness

I am all air, a reverse reflection, a ghost:

I am emptiness that looks into a mirror and sees a person staring back

Heavy carcass, do you belong to me?

Turn down the volume of the white noise.

Stop-motion

Lilting, quivering

Sudden death,

Cardiac arrest,

And epinephrine.

I soar, all the while never moving.

The world turns, somersaults;

Paper figures

People pass me by, eyes look at me,

through me—

My mannequin, not me, leaden tongue and vacant eyes.

They are too far away

Or I am too far inside my skin,

too small for my suit of flesh.

I am all air

And around me is numbing shadow

Invisible space, frigid air;

I reach out, but I cannot touch

And cavernous silence swallows my meandering

Before I set foot out the door.

{Claire}