Silent Gasp

 Silent gasp

is not heard 

as I grasp

onto the last

little bit 

of air

out, then in

and my lungs

they are fine

but what's done 

is deeper within

not sublime

are the blood vessels

running semi dry

now they struggle 

to spin

Against 

the burns of time

and perhaps too

against

the burns of

wine

and for certain

against 

the burns of why

was I almost 

thrown 

out there

to die?

But I didn't die

I fought

and I cried

and I mopped

my own blood

off the floor

til my pockets

went as poor

as my coping skills

became

at times

til the tears

went as dry

as the veins

went dry

and now, so shy

are my cheeks

to the tears

once cried

and buried 

deep within

as the scar tissue

has grown

to win

over the

waves

to my body's 

chagrin

is the silent

gasp

is the one 

that holds

the past

within