Reminders

There are good reminders,
like reminders for your mom's birthday,
or your little sister's party,
or just some random happy memory,
that crops up every once in a while.

But then there are the other reminders,
the ones that haunt you when you sleep,
and steal your breath and make you scream,
the ones that claw at your throat and eyes,
and make you realize,
things that you never wanted to know,
from your personality flaws,
to the things you shouldn't think of,
or speak of until it's too late,
and you mess everything up,
again and again,
until the reminder subsides and,
you're left hollow once more.