crystal walls

you feel your spine
torn through your skin
and pinned to a board,
each shoulder the tip of a butterfly wing
trapped behind sheets of frozen glass

your lips
forced into a plastic smile
bear your teeth, 
a passive aggressive dig at those who look close enough to notice
but still are silent

hint- 
the whiteness of knuckles
that grip hard to create an illusion of control,
to stop the vibrations of emotion,
compressed into a spring wound tight

tendons along your neck strain 
to keep your chin above endless mutterings 
that threaten to drown- 
whispers make up the stones that fill your pockets
heavier than the edge of stares that follow your path

shot down by your glare and clench of jaw
you shatter the windows and scrape your knees climbing out and 
blood drips red like roses marking the floor as claimed and 
you, 
stand up tall.