Her Survival

she will not ask

hers a breath trapped; 

the remnants of a girl

threadbare at the 

bottom of a sagging, 

weary bag worn thin 

on the stairs at 3 am; 

an adult understanding

of her prepubsecent

dependence kept her 

in her mind, running 

into the dark street, 

towards another 

circumstance 

pleading with no one 

to flee the breakdowns, 

instability of fear, 

disintegration of 

all she had trusted 

do not deny her 

the necessary fences; 

erected before they 

could argue

she will not easily 

let them fall; 

hers, survival