In Place of Blood

In place of blood,
Words stain this page,
Giving in to temptations,
Self-loathing and doubt,
My subconscious maliciously ripping at my soul,
Crippling fear.

Words my only escape,
And yet a prison too,
For caught in time,
A moment that is unrelenting.

Escaping words,
Flowing like the Nile,
As I surrender,
To a pain more awful than any before,
But I continue,
And will;
Eternally!

Crime and punishment,
Free and forgiving,
My parole must soon be upon me,
When I can,
Not short of breath,
Exhale this toxic thrust,
Tonight.

SDM