I couldn't br speak br 'cause I was br hunched-over br dry-heaving and br yanking at the br things to say, br br they were br lodged in my gut-pit, br like gum-wads br nickels br pennies br pieces of br construction- br paper br br erasers br the heads br of lego-men br and other br pre-school- br cuisine, br br and as the words br mounted I felt br my soul flail- br curling br into a ball br br like a spider br drowning br in a pesticide- br puddle br shrieking br (on some br high-decibel) br into what became br an air-bubble br rising br up-through my spinal- br fluid br br perching about br the brain-stem br on a neck br that wouldn't budge br when I should have br just br kissed you.