So who has me now?
Displacing me and going about,
Forgiving the injustice,
Accepting the happening,
Lapping my wounds,
It stings and it shows,
The pain to feel
Whole-halfheartedly.

Hushing me tenderly,
Sick of my whining and crying.
Pushing me to surrender,
He’s been there.
But my skin’s scabbed too thick.
The slow and painful
Peel, only then could I listen.
I need sharp love that numbs.

So, I see you clearly
Holding a knife to my vein
Every day, the edge so fine
It nicks to trick on my pages
In stages: doubt, fear then you,
In my music and side views,
Charming and soothing me
Discretely.

Then we weep again,
Exacting demise on
My shameless traditions
Exercising a right in me
That exposes me and ignites me,
Leveling me to your plane
I live again,
Never to sleep again

– B. Brown