When the pieces of the outburst 

have all settled on the floor

and the echo of the shouting 

isn’t ringing anymore

That’s when it’s time to wonder

if there’s any gain at all 

in screaming into empty space 

and flailing at the wall

What brought this on

what raised this up

what sort of trap was set?

A trigger loaded years ago

came to collect its debt

A line in stone

a line in sand

in water then in air

If only all the injury 

could have been sent there

but here it is trapped far too deep 

for any quick excision

Again a violent storm’s blown up

to darken and blur vision

When does it end

when will it mend 

when is the story finished?

Another day, a better one

but in a life diminished