you know how sometimes you read a poem and one line pops out and all the rest fall away? i just read one and responded—i've always felt that way! felt there was a small animal living inside me, a feral boy. i had to help him breathe! feed him, teach him—set him free! he was so wary, he scurried away at the threats i perceived . i thought i had to protect him, and help him breathe, but he was my animal spirit, my feral boy—he was the breath of me.