Temporary Relief

By SERENA PIETERS, December 7, 2021

Photo by Tatum Harris

The world has been wounded

And we have panicked

Shut our doors

Wrapped our wounds

Trusted no one

But when the wound starts to heal it scabs over

And it itches so we pick

We pick

We pick

We find temporary senses of relief

Until the wound becomes infected

Healing is deceptive

The presence of recovery breeds the force of relapse

We pick

We pick

We pick

Until we are scarred forever.