U N B A L A N C E D S C A L E S

There is a snake
wrapped around my heart.
His name is dread.

Each morning he sinks his jagged fangs into my heart.
His noxious venom courses through my veins,
and my heart gallops at a breakneck speed
attempting to burst through my chest.

My mind grows frantic, tugging on random
synapses without regard for precision.
The resulting cacophony of sirens
alerts my natural defenses,
which possess the same degree of urgency.

Frigid chains are wrapped around my heart,
replacing one snake with dozens.
Their grip resembles the weight of an anvil
as the pressure crushes the breath from my lungs.

I'm anchored in place.
A bright new day awaits.
The snake crawls back again.