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Exit to Express
I made it through.
Or did I?
I work.
I function.
I respond in time.
People read this as recovery,
mistaking competence
for healing.
My persistence
is a deserted island
with nowhere to land.
They don’t see
how much energy it takes
to stay alert
in completed world.
The truth is—
it isn’t over.
Surviving didn’t end.
It simply
lost its exit
to express itself.
©2026 Samia Oldman
CONTEXT
You are reading dystopian fantasy poetry collection the Hush Halo. After the Great Optimization a privileged group of people wired themselves tightly into the system by aligning with it and fully integrating. Systoics believe they’ve perfected themselves by stripping away everything that slows them down. Learn more about Realm or start from Square One.
Dystopian poetry by Sam Oldman. Soundscapes and images are created with AI.
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