Why I Write

Because it hurts 

when I don't

as if I am holding 

a fire within

that would

burn the flesh 

from my bones

and leave only ash. 

Because I don't know

how I feel

until the words 

spill on the page

and spell out 

a message from myself

to me that I didn't know

I needed to hear. 

Because writing

is like flying

in that it lifts

me from inside

and frees the thing

I didn't even know

was trapped.