Knives (11/4/2014)

The knife digs deeper

every day.

And even when you grow used

to the otherwise insufferable pain,

you know it exists.

But the blood refuses to burn.

Temporarily.

And eventually you stop

fighting to slow the wound from

deepening.

It is far from bad, as only one knife,

but that knife gets lonely

so another must be added

even before the first is done sinking.

But the second is less powerful

so a third is added.

This one is least sharp,

and slightly rusty

so the pain is severe,

and you remember the first vividly

while the third does all the noticeable damage.

So you bury a fourth

and a sixth and a seventh and a hundredth

just to hide the first three.

And suddenly death is approaching

only to be left wondering why.

-Dustin S. Stover (11/4/2014)