Always Wrong to the Light

Forcing shadows on the happy

Forcing guilt between their teeth their smiling teeth

As the thick knot of rope in my chest is pulled

On days when the knot gets tighter

And my lungs have less room between them 

The light is further wronged

Flames flicker and lightbulbs buzz 

Fearful of the wrongdoings I impose

The knot tightens

Ribs touching overlapping

Like fingers of folded hands

Holding hands together 

Mine separate each in a fist

Thumb on the outside swing 

And the knot pulls bone closer and closer

Makes lungs expand less and less

About the Author

Kerrianna Wallace is a sophomore creative writing major. She is a writer and owner of too many journals. Even though she can write a poem in a minute, she has yet to write a complete novel. While she hopes that that changes someday soon, she's content trying to fill all of her journals with poetry.