I stared at myself in the middle of the mall The flashes and artificial clicks weren’t able to distract me enough From the feeling of doom resting in the pit of my belly It grew to encompass an awareness of talons easing into my shoulder The longer I sat the less able to leave I became But still the machines whirred on Taking picture after picture after picture My eyes wide Frozen in place like a woodland creature on the trespassing road
It wasn’t until much later When I gathered the energy to leave and collect the stack of printed copies That I noticed each square capture contained faces not my own Faces of pain and malice Begging to be released
CCIQ Press 