Jaguar Tracks

A poem of fear and pain — plus a personal update

“Jaguar in the jungle.” Image created by the author with Midjourney AI, all rights reserved.

Jaguar tracks through
rustling jungle — my throat
ripped open in fear.

Jaguar in full light,
eyes wide and unblinking —
my vision gone. Jaguar teeth,

jaws snapping — my soul
ripped open in pain. Jaguar limbs,
twisted into a knot of rage –

my arms pulled behind my back.
Jaguar heart, hammering,
fists clenching, teeth grinding –

my heart torn open in love.

Two nights ago, the jaguar stalked me. Burned out from over a month of writing and making art morning to evening like it was my job, I collapsed, sobbing, over my supper plate. I was so sick with nausea and a full-body headache that I couldn’t move an inch to adjust my blanket as I sat on the couch watching TV. It took my long-suffering parents half an hour to get my wailing self down the stairs to bed.

Now here I am, back again. Hopefully not writing with the hours of an Industrial Revolution factory worker, because that s*** will mess you up.