past follows

funny how the past follows

just when you thought you got rid of

it,

funny how it rears its ugly head &

wants a piece of the new you to

remember being

less---

funny how the past taps one on the

shoulder,

at the moment of your greatest triumph

& brings you down

further than you

ever thought it

could---

funny how quick you can make a fist---

funny how quick you can grit your teeth---

funny how easy it is to open that reserve of

pure

unadulterated

anger,

RAGING INSIDE
RAGING INSIDE
RAGING INSIDE

(that’cha kept away quietly just for these

occasions, just behind the eyes where

you wanted it)

&

all of a sudden you’re right back where you

started,

all of a sudden you’re back in the habit,

all of a sudden you’ve wasted it all,

washed away every smidgeon of progress,

face to face with the disgusting,

real

you,

that you couldn’t gut out of yourself

with a fishing

knife.