Carnivores

A poem by Adam Buening

A girl stands in a hallway,

using the last of her strength to step on.

Insults pierce her every second,

but she continues walking, trying to ignore them.

They all seem to surround her,

like wolves and bears.

Carnivores,

preying off each other,

destroying just to fill themselves up.

feeding until she has nothing left to give.

Empty, she continues on,

pretending to forget.

But the wounds can’t be ignored,

and they pulse a rhythm.

Eventually, she breaks,

the pains of hunger too much to bear.

She arrives home, lashing out at her family,

yelling and screaming and tearing them down.

Someone to prey on, and what easy prey they are,

filling her up, giving her something to feed on.

So many animals, carnivores, prowl around this world,

feeding a cycle of death and pain.

Couldn’t we be something more?