Inside my head
There lives a thought

She scratches, she paws
She begs to be let out

The thumping from inside
On my temple, between my eyes
Thumping, thumping, thumping

----

Inside my mind
There lives a memory

He hems, he haws
He binds my tongue into silence

The tightening, constricting
Along my abdomen, below my ribs
Tightening, tightening, tightening

----

And so, in tired resignation
I pull back, tame my wild inner self
Model my words into the tinkling thoughts that you have grown to expect

Cocooned in the comfort of our relationship, our norms
I live another day a character of your story