KNEE BRACE PRESS

A place for stories about chronic illness, disability, mental health, and neurodivergence.

Abandon

By

I demand a new reality.
one where I am cradled
like a descendent of the manger:
carefully and still looked on with promise.
when will this searing pain
be worth anything
but a fretful whimper
from me
as I break down inside a Walmart
utterly and completely lost
my breath on the ceiling tiles
my knees and hands on linoleum
as I try to even comprehend shame.

Contributor

  • Hachi Chuku is a Managing Editor for Nimrod International Journal. Their writing explores family, nature, and mental health within the realms of fiction and poetry. They have work forthcoming in The Shallot. When they are not writing, they love to crochet.