Soft Tissue

The meeting ran long and the air was thin,

I felt the fatigue settling under my skin.

I lifted the mug for a lukewarm sip,

and felt the porcelain catch on my lip.

The teeth found the ridge where the swelling is red,

a sharp little spark from a word I hadn't said.

The copper of blood and the dregs of the roast,

a bitter reminder of what I miss most.

I chewed on the silence and sat in my chair,

while the voices around me dissolved in the air.