pounding of my heart
amplifies the breath
in my nose,
surely all the neighborhood
can hear me sneaking through the kitchen,
knows I’m pacing out the backyard
even if my footfalls are silent,
I can’t breathe any quieter,
as long as you’re not here,
my heart will keep ringing out
the blood like an overused dish towel
and you’ll keep ignoring
the breath I pour into the world