Retribution

Yes, I will bleed.
I will lie wounded
with each cut, each hateful
slash of the knife,
each subtle tearing of the heart.

The lies and almost truths
you tell yourself and tell me in the dark hours
as I lie prisoner, tied by kindness, by propriety,
by my own struggle to live well –
each of them leaving their mark
and though they do not show,
they are there.

So be proud of your vengeance,
proud of the tales you manufacture like fine jewels,
that catch the light for a moment
and cut deep, a ruby knife,
thin, sharp and brittle.
Be proud of the artfulness of your imagination, even if

it will not stand the light of day, even if
I prove far more immortal than I look
with my age and weakness, even if
each drop of blood you see dripping
turns out to be not mine,
but yours.

About this poem

Whether we belittle ourselves, or others do it for us….. remember this: You are stronger than you think. And those that slash at your heart, are weaker than they believe.

Tom