I retreat in shock
Not what I expected
I expected nothing
I wasn’t protected

The breath knocked out of me
So swift came the blow
Should’ve trusted my instincts
Should’ve left well alone

Nausea sets in
Tummy upset
Good intentions
Unwelcomed, ill met

Now a dead end
A full stop, a brick wall
Nowhere to go
I shrink, feel small

Shrivelled and foetal
I take refuge in bed
Now for a lobotomy
To erase it from my head

The ripple effect
My whole being atremble
Tears start to well
I suppress them but they assemble

How to process this shit
Right now I don’t know
I feel like taking action
But should leave well alone

Is retaliation
The wisest move?
I’m wounded and frail
My strength subdued

Deadlocked it seems
In chains, boxed in
Immobilised, indecisive
Intuition dim

Better sit this one out
Meditate upon it
Reflect and learn
Though I’m stunned, astonished

Defeated I suppose
Come down from a high
I crash back to earth
Wings clipped, can’t fly