‘Try harder.’ It says
All the more not to
A trench in sight, I’m stuck
Sinking in the still mud
Almost out of breath, a cry for help
Not a word uttered, choked by it
Eagerly waiting,
‘Try harder.’ They say
Never up, always down
That which I pursue, out of reach
Heights I can’t reach,
What if I fall? Or worse, slip away
Cornered, yet at its centre
No hiding spot in sight
Can’t run, can\'t hide
All there is is ‘Try harder.’
Guess it\'s cling or snatch
Not letting go—
I grip it
even as it drags me under
until something in me stops breaking.