angst cycle (iii) — [Ɲ] (vii)

people have asked me before
why i react this way

well
they’ve asked me
why i don’t pursue
which is the same thing

imagine
waking up from sleep
to discover
your hand has flopped
into a fire
a strongly burning fire

do you react
by putting the other one in

do you react
by dreamily sighing
and leaving things
as they are
as the cliché–mongers
would have you believe

no
of course not
the reaction’s obvious
which is why
i never really
understand the question

you fucking well
get your hand out
go throw it under
a river tap

and spend months
cursing your inattention
slowly getting over
the disaster
slowly getting
the use of your hand
back

the hand’s the heart
voila
now does it make sense