{"id":2699,"date":"2018-02-25T12:00:11","date_gmt":"2018-02-25T12:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/translatingpain\/?p=2699"},"modified":"2018-02-25T12:00:11","modified_gmt":"2018-02-25T12:00:11","slug":"collateral-damage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/a-bel-abroad\/collateral-damage\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Collateral Damage’, by Ellie Conway"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is too much light<\/span>
\n in the air today.<\/span>
\n My eyelids won\u2019t retreat;\u00a0<\/span>
\n they\u2019re the heavy squad,<\/span>
\n repelling all invaders.<\/span>
\n My protection<\/span>
\n from a day too heavy<\/span><\/p>\n

for me,\u00a0<\/span>
\n for my chest,\u00a0<\/span>
\n my arms.<\/span>
\n my legs.<\/span><\/p>\n

I can only lie\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

down<\/span><\/p>\n

beneath<\/span><\/p>\n

its weight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Breathing takes will.<\/span>
\n Push, push the invisible hand<\/span>
\n up,\u00a0<\/span>
\n feel it press back\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Repeat.<\/span><\/p>\n

and repeat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Repeat again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Muscles rebel.<\/span>
\n Fibres tug against their tense kin,<\/span>
\n stiffening, a shudder of spasms.<\/span>
\n Nerve endings return fire,\u00a0<\/span>
\n trajectory dipping from collarbone\u00a0<\/span>
\n toward elbow\u00a0<\/span>
\n past wrist\u00a0<\/span>
\n till fingertips vibrate\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

like\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

plucked\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

harp\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

strings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

breathe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

breathe.<\/span><\/p>\n

The throb, I ache.<\/span><\/p>\n

My feet go AWOL – no –\u00a0<\/span>
\n now they\u2019re back with a burn.<\/span>
\n Television assaults me,\u00a0<\/span>
\n sound and vision launch<\/span><\/p>\n

breathe.<\/span><\/p>\n

combined assaults,\u00a0<\/span>
\n attacking my senses.<\/span><\/p>\n

My brain scrambles to keep up.<\/span><\/p>\n

breathe.<\/span><\/p>\n

In silence, the soft pillows embrace me.<\/span>
\n I lean in.<\/span>
\n Let them tend my wounds.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n