Tick... Tock...

Tick.

Tock.

Tick

Tock

Waiting for the shoe to drop.

Waiting for the pain to stop.

Waiting

For the weight

of the trauma

to fall off.

Tick

Tock

Perhaps that is what

trauma really is,

the training of the brain

to spend time waiting

the the next spell of pain

for the next strain.

Tick

Tock

And, perhaps, when that trauma

becomes too intense

our brain decides to mix

anxiety

with action

and let it all bleed

all over those closest to us.

Tick

Tock

How much more pain

and how much more strain

will we put those closest to us through

because our brain

is still processing the trauma

that we refuse to see?

And how much more time

will we allow it to

consume

our lives?

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

-Dustin S. Stover