12 July 2007

your knee almost brushing mine
your hand clamped firmly
(but very gently) on my arm
your head bent within inches
of my wrist
you and i were there
but were both elsewhere

i watched you carve
with a single pulsating needle
my wrist
breaking skin
drawing minscule specks of red
wiping them away

what did it feel like?
exactly as it was
the methodical shredding of epidermis
then scraping it raw away
again and again

it felt good
really good

for a moment
you discovered me
had skinned me
and laid bare
the real me
the raw raw core

but in a blink
i was gone again
thinking
this doesn't pain me
as terribly as
my heart does
then i realized
nothing would

you hurt me
in the best possible way
ferrying me down Lethe
allowing me a drink
from wounded waters
for a moment
i forgot to remember

did it hurt
you later asked
with such sincerity and empathy
i wished i could tell you where
i really hurt