chlorine in the air or something

deadly or maybe

nothing at all

but the natural shortness of breath

that rides shotgun with fear

and i wish there weren't quite so many feathers

inside me or quite so much air around; i feel so claustrophobic and

i think it's unlikely to be chlorine but maybe

some internal element: feathers, lead paint

that once coated a toy i may have gnawed on as a child, broken glass,

the gold flakes in some high-end liquor i drank years back,

too much swallowed chewing gum, or maybe

nothing at all.

i wasn't going to say so,

but i don't feel too well.