Tangled

Sometimes I get tangled up with everyday life.

 

One fine, straight cotton thread becomes entwined

around my family, work, children and economic situation.

 

Once it was easy to thread a needle and get to work as I please

now the loop is twisted and turned upon itself around others

and then back to me.

 

The more I try to pull away from it the tighter it becomes.

 

Like those poor sea lions and marine animals caught up in plastic

fishing lines cutting into their own skin

around mouths, restricting movement until they starve to death

 

Could I cut myself out?

What would be left of me?

The thread is cutting off chunks of flesh

surely there won't be much of myself left

the tangle is too tight to be unthread.