Atrophy

Slow drain,
Body numb.

Mom holds him,
Shaking,
Mind doesn’t fathom
The space of time and body,

Only the analogy,
“Like we’re dancing,”

Leaning,
Holding on
To more than gravity

An enemy
Of atrophy

Cold sweats
Dreams
Of the crusades
Invading my sleep,
My religion

No longer exists

Each fiber
slowly dying
with blood loss,
Unexercised;

The Exorcism
of Faith.

A demon invading,
Permeating
Us all

“Do they know”
This thing has got me?

Its fingers pressed
To my throat

Slowly closing

A gasp
A tear
This bed
It breathes

His soul
Back
Into the world

Like a puff of smoke
Into freezing air

We watch it disappear.