the chickening

hopelessly spent
perfectly content
reduced to a crawl
subservient mite
neglected and slighted
and that serves you right

joke's on who?
funny you!
a victim, i!
so victimized!

rip out my spine
see what it's like
who asks twice?
who asks nice!

let me make this clear
i'm insincere
i won't be tricked
again

pitiful little girl
pathetic, disturbed
disheartened, reserved
prone to freeze when provoked
how fitting the trope of
deer caught in headlights

subconsciously
lured to be
docile and
controlled