29. The Disaster of Safety’s Sake

She was born in the cave

of suburbia and grew

like a virus, virulent

and contractable

within sterile corridors 

fortified with split levels.

Every dream involves 

screaming primary colors,

sunlight hotter than Sonora

on her fingernails.

Every dream involves cacti:

the torture

of never touching it.

All alone she 

chews on her wrists

in stages,

coyote gnawing,

trapped tight.