I have travelled the woods.

The night fading into dawn

The dusk into darkness

My clothes are torn

Dirty

My nails broken

Fingers bleeding

Knees scrapped

My lungs grew still so long ago

The hunger no longer gnaws through my middle

The walk is almost pleasant now

If not for the need

Burning a hole through my chest

If not for that

I would have stopped to rest

To sleep

But I can’t.

Not now.

Maybe not ever