Dead Inside

It's a slow decay So slow at first I don't notice The rot The smell The maggots Little worms feasting on the flesh of all that used to be good inside me. It's all words Words like bullets Words like a sharp knife They create wounds and invite all the crawling chewing things inside Devour all the joy Devour all the hope Devour all the life Leaving nothing but a shell Animated by the chewing bugs inside No heart Just a crawling beetle No soul Just a carrion ant Just enough animation to keep my husk moving Too much to let me rest in peace