She looked at me through smoke.

Exhaled, brushed past her lips.

The shock of her gaze, stopping me dead,

What things could she teach me?

It was there, at that moment,

I was born.

Squalling and red, bursting into life,

After years of solitude,

I drew my first breath

Light flooded my eyes

And I saw the nudity,

The reality. The truth.

The innocence of life.

Simplicity.

And I saw my previous perspective again,

An eight legged beast,

Gnashing its jaws. Ready to devour

Any innocence I might have had.

What hell did I stare into?

What heaven has eluded me?

I beg for life.