Tunnel Vision

The long dark walk
through the tunnel
where life was detoured
where the sun died
and the heart was tortured
by snakes and spiders
is pushed into a corner of the brain,
while seeing the light at the end,
a final reprieve from the terror
as a smile replaces a cringe
with a hope there is better
beyond this crippling corridor.

Still looking back
because, no matter how horrible,
has its own strange addictive essence.

So a stare back into that journey’s marks
before finally walking into the light,
perhaps the claws of abuse,
which dwell on that black stroll
won’t reach into this day,
it’s worth the escape
if only to feel the reprieve
from the screams and shudders.