• Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

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• "Smells unleashed from the spring thaw lift us into a frenzied desperation for movement. The air is so clean you can smell the difference between smooth rock and jagged. You can smell water running over shale."
• "Inhale small fears they turn into doubts into words into ideas into anger into hatred into violence. / Exhale large fears and large words they tumble back onto you it's easy to get buried by our own mirrors. / Inhale small fears and they whisper and travel to your mind observe them and thank them for trying to protect you. / Exhale acknowledgement of the beauty within your instincts and the courage to love small fears. / -- Exhale calmness in acknowledgement of the beauty within the courage it takes to not fear love."
• "Every time the siren sounds all the sled dogs howl, and I imagine that they think there is a large, loud god dog that rules the land howling."
• "-- I crave rock underfoot / I crave / I crave clear vision / I crave to be / anything but me."
• "This is almost beautiful, until you look at me."
• "There is a limb of mine / That still belongs to you / It hurts like any ghost limb would"
• "Remember that time when the sun / Sat sideways just to please you? / Orange sun-faced and long-shadowed, / We shunned the rest of the world and rested cross-legged / Only to uncross them and run / We cracked open pops and unzipped our souls / To encapsulate the wind and / Placate the restlessness / We didn't know we would spend the rest of our lives running / Or we would have slowed down / Remember that time the river ran backwards / Just to please you? / The eddies grabbed our toes and travelled up our legs / The sun much sharper it reminded us / That those eddies wanted to eat us / Numb and bloodless / Toes curdled we / Ran until the river forgot we were there / Remember the time the wind stopped breathing / Just to please you? / White-cheeked frostbite with alternating hands / To cover the pain / Backs to the wind for protection / We did not need vision / Only the moon was guiding our laughter / When you fell and all stood still / The world stopped spinning and I realized / Your eyes were the centre of the earth"
• "Tastes like an echo / When I saw you haloed by the Arctic moon / Sundogs around your head / The moon slicing / Bitter darkness"
• "He is everything that is flawed. He cannot help himself. We all give ourselves to people that cannot help themselves. How can we not?"
• "Human nature is undeniable and kindness cannot be contrived, mimicked convincingly, or bought. We are what we are, and within all the facets of Being it is through the acceptance of our monumental flaws that salvation lies."
• "What keeps you alive in crisis can kill you once you are free."
• "I woke up already hurting, and have been ever since."
• "Forgive them they say / Forgive those that have hurt you / Don't hang on to the past they say / You will only hurt yourself / The past has birthed the bricks that / Build my bones / The past divided all my cells / Into this muscle I flex / Into the skin that I've stretched / The past is the house of these breaths / I do not forgive and forget / I Protect and Prevent / Make them eat shame and repent / I forgive me"
• "Protect me. I need help. I'm unravelling. I'm afraid. Fear is driving my flesh machine. I'm running blind. Adrenaline. / Forgive me. Forgive my tardiness, my hatred. Forgive my dark heart. Forgive my sickness. Forgive my soul. / Shelter me. Shelter me from myself. I am armed and dangerous. Bleeding. / -- / Love me. There is still a child inside. The shaking rabbit. / Cleanse me. Wash the blood off. I am still working. I survive still. I am stronger now. / Worship me. I am boundless. I stood up. I am worthy. / Start again."

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• "If you are living in silence / With violence in your bones / Sorrow in your marrow / Blood running cold / Heal I beg you / Heal I beg you / Heal I beg you / Heal"