-wrapped
i wrap my wrists because it’s the battle ritual
i know the pain that lies ahead
i know because I’ve internalised it for so long
visualised and heard the same song
humans all want a piece of you
if it means they get to posture
they’ll put their name down
to take down yours
if it means they get propped up
they’ll crawl through lava
so they can singe you
knowing well, introverted from the womb
i wrap to protect this tomb
i didn’t fight to be flamboyant
i didn’t fight to be defiant
i fought to be defined
to have someone to talk to
in my own mind
to find
someone like me
the fighter kind
enjoys the grind
self effacing, inner world embracing
subtle nuance lined
i wrap to protect
to ward off and deflect
the outside world
that shows no respect
for softer people
of intellect
i wrap my wrists because i’m broken enough
i wrap my wrists
because there’s no way to wrap my heart
i wrap and fight not to be tough
i wrap to keep things from falling apart
W.E.
