The Sheltering Grip

My chest has been tight for so long that I forgot how to breathe,

Holding up walls that I am finally ready to leave. The moment you put your hand around my throat, the fever breaks. The internal storm stays in check.

I feel the sob catch in my throat, not from pain, but from the sheer relief of no longer holding the reins.

My muscles turn to water; my bones lose their grit. I am a heap at your feet, and I am grateful for it.

I am finally unburdened, anchored, and whole, Breathless in the sacred safety of your total control