A Prayer for Breath

I choke on my gasps,

Tears streaming down my face.

I pray, I beg, I plead,

To breathe.

My thoughts continue,

Somehow increasing in speed.

I pray, I beg, I plead,

To breathe.

My heart beats deeply,

sinking in my chest. 

I pray, I beg, I plead,

To breathe.

The static spreads,

Across my face.

I pray, I beg, I plead,

To breathe.

My trembling hands,

Grip the ground.

I pray, I beg, I plead,

To breathe.

For minutes or hours,

Sometimes just seconds,

I pray, I beg, I plead,

To breathe.

Knowing now, 

Breath does not always come easily.