Fighting Gravity

Each night, she must be watered
as if she were a flower.  She is not
a flower.  The needle placed just between
skin and muscle;  sometimes pain
is love.

Sometimes pain becomes a skill
like falling gracefully or slowly
just like things-that-fall-slowly.

Gravity.  Sin or Grace.  Punishment
or relief.  The only surviving victim
learns acceptance then chooses:
drink or choke.

You too will lean into that heavy
flow and flow.  Like a petal
on a river current

floats.