A Cold Burn

There is a certain feeling
Accompanied by
A slap in the face.

Call it

A cold burn.

It telegraphs from your face

Down your neck and spine
And ricochets around
Your spirit
While you deliberate whether
To strike back
Laugh
Or walk away.

So far I’ve walked away.

But I think the heart has a limit

To the number of slaps
It can sustain
Until it does something reasonable.
Reasonable.

But I may be safe.

I’ve not done one thing reasonable
Yet.