sometimes, to assure myself, i say, "together, together, hold it together."

it rhymes in a very comfortable way. sometimes i just mouth it. the words stay on my tongue and takes an infinite loop around. i say it slower, and slower, until each syllable takes a whole breath of air and i need another to go on, and then i hear myself saying, "to get her, to get her, hold it, to get her" as if i'm outside of myself talking about a total stranger.