Fight or Flight

Giles Dawnay is a writer, poet and GP in Herefordshire. His website is: www.gilesdawnay.com

‘Trauma is patient, doc,
if it’s one thing I’ve learnt.’
His pale green eyes fix on mine
dark pupils with an infinity of space.^*

‘Like a fucking tiger
it’s not in any hurry.
Don’t matter where in the jungle
you are, it’s coming for you.’

He should know. Savaged
by almost every relationship
he’s ever had. Anyone who
scores 9, fucking 9, on an ACE,¹

what chance do they have,
apart from being tracked while
their heart still beats. What choice
but stalk oblivion for brief respite.

Forever both prey and predator.
Hunted, haunted, always shit-faced.
But now sober, the high tide
of stupor retreated, revealing

the rocky beach of life choices.
‘I know I’ve got to face it, doc,’
a brief stillness before tensing.
‘Fight to the fucking death, I reckon.’

*Authors note: Whilst based on the author’s experience the poem does not describe any particular patient, alive or deceased

Reference:

1. Adverse Childhood Experiences https://mft.nhs.uk/rmch/services/camhs/young-people/adverse-childhood-experiences-aces-and-attachment/ accessed 4/4/25

Featured photo by Ratanjot Singh on Unsplash