feels as if
a rat
has taken up residence
in my head
gnawing at the wires
short circuiting
the connections
between real and dream

feels as if
a rat
has curled up
in my chest
slowly devouring my heart
until all that remains
is the wispy memory
of a fully functional being

this body
of gristle
and
flaccid imaginations
this worn out shell
discarded on the beach
by an ever growing
hermit crab

rats in a wheel
bats in the belfry
the goldfish in my guts
the raven on my shoulder
a walking menagerie
dedicated to subtle nuance
in the unsubtle art
of self destruction