Desert Dweller

Salt water, an excellent conductor of electrical energy.
Salt water, the basic component of sweat, seawater, and tears.

Wielding the whip,
the counselor strikes over and over.

Insulated, they struggle.
Unable to relinquish that last ounce of control,
resisting. holding back,
withholding deep emotions,
past hurts and future fears.

Varying strokes, rhythmic or random,
vicious or tender, staccato or piano,
knowing they will break.
They will let go, lose control, melt into oblivion.

Provoking, tormenting,
escalating to the point of release:
exposing bare wires, splicing, reconnecting.

Tears burst forth, sobbing
until nothing remains except the current.
Energies conducted by water and salt

©2026 Bruno Talerico
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