I was afraid I'd die
by Kelley White



during the cardiac stress test
I was afraid of the lump in my breast
I was afraid you’d go
afraid you’d hit me
afraid you’d die

afraid you’d die when you hit me
(afraid I’d die)
a gun at my children’s head

and the black eye
the split lip
the bleeding ear

the gunman’s stone face I’d see again
again
cold gun
cold teeth
cold air





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