we had only just found out
we trembled in the shaking dawn
hearts fluttering hands clamping to our mouths
it was this time
this shivering time
this time of jelly legged and unshelled instants when we raged and cried and vacillated tick to tick
we howled the corridor to rattling
felt like wrenching off the neon lights – the ceiling
this was no time no time to kick and rail
no time for flared retaliation
‘oh gods no gods’ we ranted
to the blank and empty skies
Rachel McGladdery