Sharp Diamond Breath
©January 7th, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram
Sometimes, I take a breath
And hold it in, faint with need
As the atmosphere thins,
So that all the air within
Crystallizes into a diamond
So clear, so dispassionate,
I gasp, and choke as I try
To take in more.
See, it’s not literal, although
Sometimes, I feel I cannot
Breathe, and then my held air
Becomes precious, faceted,
A gulp of carbon
Forged deep within,
Cutting me to pieces.
Perhaps, there’s terror in
Letting it all out again.
One can trust this world
Only so much.
Then again, it might be
A practice session for that
Precious, beloved, sharp
Intake of breath, that
Final one.
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