Leave with your temper
and spare your family the storm.
Refrain from the words you use
that leave no trace of bruising
but are still like a crack across the cheek.

Soon the electric current of your rage
will dissipate and blend into your body,
leaving only a residual, perhaps
a pressure in your chest.

Draft something in your head
that you might say if you ever come back,
but for now, just go.

Pull the string on the latch,
open the gate, go through,
and let it close behind you
with a clattering racket
and a metallic striking shut.

06/17/2012

Author's Note: Another prompt from the Sunday Whirl blog - I used all the words (and in one case, a form of a word) from the following list: temper, spare, refrain, trace, crack, current, blend, chest, draft, string, latch, racket, strike.

Posted on 06/17/2012
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