thicker than my ma’s
pasta sauce
and turn it off
faster than I can
down these shots. You never knew
when he’d go off. He’s was
a lightning storm
that downed
the wires. So, I lit the
candle and held it
in my hand. But I grew
tired and my hand was burning
from his psychotic rage –
“Take the gloves off Sandra”  
He would say. He’d chase me
into a dark ally. A woman
asked as I passed
if I needed help. I told her
yes, as I gulped the humid air
and smog of the city. The sweat
under my arms wasn’t looking
pretty. Luckily, I passed
an officer and asked him
to stop my psychologist from
chasing me. He turned to him
with a warning. I called
my husband to pick me up
in the adjacent parking lot. He came
as he always did. And drove me away
to safety –
at least for that day