Beast

Confined to a cage,

A cell built upon apprehension

Self-loathing and insecurities

Cell engulfed by force field of resistance

And concealed under cloak of fear,

It endures: ageless and immortal

Eyes glaring, never blinking

Its focus: undeterred

Surefooted... restless

It paces, hauntingly, hither and yon

Breathing... deep... steady

Absorbing the miasmal phobia that enslaves it

As its body enters remission

Its mind philosophises

Every fibre of its being mutates

As it delves into the atoms of its impediment

And as beast evolves

The soma dissipates

And while new serum is prepared,

In the interim of applications,

Awareness breeds understanding

Enlightenment melts shackles.

It growls as it gnaws its prison’s walls

Teeth naked, fearless, unencumbered

I can feel its presence in my every thought

I see it in my shadow and in my reflection

Eyes glaring, never blinking, focus undeterred

Breathing... deep... steady

Teeth still naked,

Its heart beat pummelling the walls of my resistance

It yearns for freedom, for transfiguration

And as soma further weakens, comes infusion

Its paws become my hands electrically imbued

Its teeth... my impervious regalia

Its restless feet... my surefooted wanderlust

Its glare... my focus, undeterred

© José V. Guerra Awe