my emancipation

 only once did i need to reconcile with the earth before it took me. 

to leave was not a pain, to scavenge was no more. 

it was my chance to be consumed by maggots. 

flesh torn apart and lapped upon until completely deteriorated, black and brittle like the dreams of men who were once youthful and young. 

feeling that all that is left has already come and gone, just as a person who never took the chance. 

never longing for more, but only sat and let the knot in their stomach constantly twist inside them. 

not once ever wincing in pain over the flesh that they never removed the bandage from in fear of having what is inside to be exposed.