subtext

• •

trapped

a chair’s propped up against the door
the one window’s bricked shut
a bare bulb flickers out of reach
at the room’s center I sit on the floor
palms up my hands hold only air
my eyes are closed breath uneven
I hear feet shuffling uneasily outside
the door knob begins to turn then stops
voices murmur indistinctly concerned

(December 26, 2013)