How It Feels to *Be* 5 Gum
I am hollow and brittle and ready to crumble
If I curl up too much, I’ll collapse in on myself
I am aimless
I am nigh-formless
I am a beam of light flying from a star,
on a perfect trajectory to never hit anything
along my path
I feel as though I cannot breathe
even though I am
My legs are numb
I feel as though someone has ripped out my left lung
I feel as though someone has replaced my stomach’s butterflies
with moths
My hands ought to be translucent
My lungs are laden with the inexpressible
I am the stubborn eyebrow-hair finally being plucked out
I am a moonbeam missing the Earth and flying away
I am a comet that will burn up before impact
I am an eraser’s shavings being swept from a desk
I won’t last too much longer