Breathe

I did it because I have been

            trapped all my life

The air was loud, whipping past my ears,

            deafening my thoughts, my doubts

No regret seeped into my soul

            i would do it again, and again, and again

I did it because I wanted to know

            what lay beyond?

The stranger helped me; I wasn’t sure why

            maybe he wasn’t a stranger at all

I remember seeing the bleached-white bones

            those who had come before me had not been so lucky

I don’t speak of it—not anymore

            no, not anymore

I did it because I was suffocating

            i couldn’t breathe, i couldn’t breathe

I did it because I wanted to breathe

            now all i do is let air into my lungs

            maybe one day this freedom will suffocate me

            but maybe one day i will do more than breathe and remember