13 Nov 2018

Alternatives




Cutting through a bagel, I recalled the girl stood next to me
At the checkout earlier that day and slipped with the knife

Straight down rather than a slice
A solid full-blade thunk into the palm of my hand

The metal didn’t hurt but embedded its smooth edge
Deep into the flesh stopping on the bone

She had purple eye shadow that intentionally matched
Her purple leather satchel bag

I found this for some reason unsettling
Even more so than her sideways resemblance to Isabella Rossellini

I stare at people too long, I thought. But what else is there to do?

I leaned my weight on the handle seeing how far I could get the knife
Until the pain started, but it went all the way through

I was just stood there dripping blood - half a hand on the counter
As people came in to make their grey coffee and dead sandwiches

They didn’t seem to notice. Or if they did
Nobody said a god damn thing about it to
Me.