I leave
and you keep
the thread
that holds me,
pulls me back.
When I return
tired, sore,
glassy-eyed,
I take a breath
and start the loop
again.
You would not know:
the end you hold
invisible -
stronger than
a tree root,
a step outside
the circle,
the gap
in the endless
reel,
the breath
before the words
you can never
take back -
no matter how
many times
you say
sorry.