It’s

.

y

o

u

r

.

lead,

.

.

m

y

.

.

follow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

follow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

.

y

o

u

r

.

bait,

.

.

m

y

.

.

swallow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

swallow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

swallow

.

d

o

w

n

.

the

twisting

rounds . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

swallow

.

d

o

w

n

.

the

ups

.

a

n

d

.

downs . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I
swallow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

.

y

o

u

r

.

bait,

.

.

m

y

.

.

swallow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

swallow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

.

y

o

u

r

.

lead,

.

.

m

y

.

.

follow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

follow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

follow

you

.

d

o

w

n

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

wandering

turns . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

follow

you

.

d

o

w

n

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

whirling 

blur . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

follow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

.

y

o

u

r

.

lead,

.

.

m

y

.

.

follow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

follow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

.

y

o

u

r

.

bait,

.

.

m

y

.

.

swallow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

swallow.

Reflection: This was a personal struggle-themed poem that I wrote back in January of 2017 where the affected party repeatedly falls victim to outside influences – and has difficulty breaking the negative cycle.