Battles Or How do you watch someone you love live with chronic pain? by Jessica Arron

Battles follow you where you go

In soft places where harm seems hidden but

you know it lingers

in small shadows

These battles follow you closely

And, oh, how you fight them!

Soldiering through, onward and all alone

Until they are done

Gasping through deep dust and under heavy waves-

Even under the shining sun on a sweet summers day

And, devastatingly,

through the tightness of winter cold

Fiery teeth tearing you apart

and biting into your bones

Jessica Arron is an artist, poet, and baker from small-town Nebraska. She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her family and pets.