Iron floods
The marrow of my bones
Depleting my stride
Ushering me to sleep

All care within
Has scurried away
In enormous droves
That pour into the open

All care within
Disintegrates
As my eager steps sputter
And I cave to exhaustion

Like the deepening sea
That bars my stride
I concede
Helplessly
Overdrawn and hollow

To stress and strain
Is futile
For I can stomach no more
Of this vapid tussle