Hunger

I have to run.

I have to leave.

I've gotta get out of here.

The feeling is like an itch,

so strong and pressing.

My nerves tingle, 

my legs strain.

I want to cry,

I want to scream.

I need to run.

Run from here

and never look back.

My heart would give anything

to sense a breeze on my skin

as my feet fly 

through velvety grass

leading in a trail of angelic light

to my last standing serenity.

Sitting still in this dull, grey world

is no longer an option.

The sun is what I crave;

freedom is what every inch of me

is clawing to find.

I must escape,

I must find the peace

that was promised me

when I began to walk the world

as a whispered idea

in the thoughts of two care-takers

who will always remain

unprepared and unworthy.

The pressure to flee 

is like staring into the face

of a ravenous lion in the moments

before his muscles tense

and claws extend,

or in the seconds that pass

as a hummingbird slows

its fluttering wings,

about to let its guard down

to drink the liquid that gives it life

as nearby a waiting cat

is ready to pounce.

All at once my body feels the fear

coursing through the humming bird's

spirited vessel of colors,

the anticipation overtaking

the house cats every fiber,

the bravery masking tenderness 

on the lions face.

I am all three,

all at once.

And until I finally

let the animal inside take over

and bolt from the life

so carelessly given to me,

my nerves will never cease 

to acknowledge the screams

telling me to run.

Run and never return. 

Author's Note

not quite sure if i like it, but i might as well post it

Reviews

[airhead68]

I really like it! :D It's very creative, plus I like the lion details. Also, I love the picture of the lion, I might use that. I think my only suggestion would be to shorten it a bit, so the reader does not get bored and quit reading half way through. Either way, I liked it.

[Christina Maria]

You should definitely like this one. I feel it is a teenager with careless parents. From the hummingbird to the lion, you have a wonderful poem here. I felt tamped down, trapped, like I actually needed to run away. The imagery here was also very...mmm...pungent I think. And very bold with emotion. Really, really good.

[Invisible]

I've felt that way before, and i'm sure you've felt it a few times. the desire to just run away sometimes overwhelms those with little reason to stay where they are isn't it?

[SeekingMeaning]

I love this! It feels very stream-of-consciousness, and you do a great job of bringing the situation to life--I could feel the pounding feet and the screaming desire to get out and get free. I especially LOVE these lines:

I began to walk the world
as a whispered idea
in the thoughts of two care-takers
who will always remain
unprepared and unworthy

Ugh. That just sits a little too heavily on me. In the most beautifully uncomfortable way.