“Facing West”
i’m coughing and choking, gasping for air
office is smoking, my lungs are buring
walls are caving in
i’d pull the lever, sound the sirens to wash it all away
but the ladder’s already too slick to climb
hallways with locked doors
others too hot to touch
all my worries and agitations turn into kerosene
spreading vapors and flames all around me
if there is any way out
there’s too much smoke to see
break the window, jump from suffocation
hope there’s something to break my fall
i hear the fire trucks behind me
see the rubble in the rear view
the dust dissipates around me
and in the aftermath i realize
it’s time to shed my skin
rise from the ashes and open up
make the choices to forge a better me
transient 