Knowing when to walk away — Zipped lips.
Hands tied.
Light steps.
Pain. Compressed desires of self
delve deep,
burrow
into bone. In service,
under pressure
to perform and
not disrupt, dreams crush,
colors dull,
expression fades
away. She wears the fire curtain
to protect
herself from
burns, while tending to
consuming flames,
stoking their
supply. …