Gray Breath

She breathed in deep,

Savoring the first breath of foul air,

She had waited for so long.

---

Staring in the mirror,

Seeing the smoke vanishing around her,

She looked in her eyes,

Seeing the pain and despair.

---

She was ashamed,

Exhilarated,

She discarded her clothes,

Stood naked,

With the smoke caressing her body,

Giving her kisses on her dry lips,

Bringing tears to her dark eyes.

---

Her hands trembled,

Knees drawn up on the cold bathroom floor,

She drew in a deep breath,

Fascinated by the glowing embers,

The burn in her throat,

The hurt in her eyes,

The blood on her hand,

She didn't realize how good smoke felt on blood.

---

Looking at the ceiling,

She shed her tears along with her cleansed breath,

Lifted out of the afterglow of her life,

She discarded her adulterated oxygen,

And went out into her poisoned house once again.