last breath

when blood spills on steel we may
hold our breath
when bad news hits hard,
maybe the dreaded word of death,
the c word for cancer,
the pycho ward,
the verdict,
our breath involuntary holds, 
and so,
light headedness
the fainting spell
despite our will however strong
at times we hold our breath

it teaches us to know when we hold our breath its cool
to feel more alive,
reminds us well that's its okay to want again to breathe

our breath to hold by our will 
gives at times our desperate minds
to breathe again is cool
reminds ourselves a breath is precious still

consider those trapped underground
megatons of rock above,
with darkness deep profound
the panic suffocation chokes and gags
the spirit by the throat

a crippled airline flight
your withheld breath,
a freefall dive from miles above 
high altitude of grief,

childhood pain,
five brothers on your chest
the panic fight, the muffled cry of fear,
the urgent need to take a breath ensues

hold your breath to challenged match 
in underwater diver's plunge
until your lungs feel hot to burst
will make you feel alive

depression's weight on your soul
the pain despair withholds,
your wanting to breathe in
its ugly claws tears your heart and mind
kills you slowly at a time
suffocates your wanting to live on
you hold your breath crying out 
in silent agony,
but soon enough you suck in air
for another try
another moment, however brief
of vital respiration
although you feel dead inside
you're somewhat glad you're still alive

your last moments on this earth 
might make you love the last breaths that you take 
for you hold and contemplate

the slow inhale, 
slow exhale
when you by circumstance,
see a living picture come serene,
a mother holding baby to her breast
sunshine reflecting off a young girl's hair 
walking on a foot path in early morning air
you might think you must have courage 
sometimes just to take another shallow breath
must have strength sometimes just to live another hour
as you slowly suck it all in 
you make another deliberate inhalation
it may not be that you're afraid to die, 
but more that you'd rather live