It’s pervasive
sneeky
attaches like leaches
sucking life’s blood out of you
years
decades
and still the flight instinct
is sharp
ready to attack
keep everyone at arms length
do your job
feelings, real fealings
rise like lightning
to the surface
tears fall easily on the cheek
all too easy
healing must be taking place
but the cure never comes
because I am too busy
to recognize the hard work of
cover up masking the
souls  desperate  attempts to
feel the fear, the pain, the shame,
the guilt