there is a knocking
at the base and
sides of my skull

i struggle for words
as the drowning
do for air

there is a constriction
and interference
and everything starts to
shudder

the world blurs
the air turns to lighting
my ears, eclipsed
with a high pitched hum

i feel nothing
except for the blood
pounding against my veins

when it gets like this
i wish to set it free
spill it out so as to

keep my heart from
rattling the cage
in my chest