I stand unmoving at the mouth of the whitewater
the chair rocks, spitting me onto the floor
and crushing the atmosphere into my lungs
everything has changed. the room is just as silent.
Rooted, unblinking, and unaware of them
my nails shred, clawing at the wood
it was maple. I bite and thrash until there is nothing left
when I come to, my skin feels as though foreign.
Until I am dragged without warning, screaming
I lay on the gurney, one eye open
wires twisting, whispering "all mechanical, you are a machine
unfeeling and undone, is it not what you wanted?"