The Last Sour Note

This is what you never understood,
that each swing of the knife
reverberated, continued to cut
long after the actual stabbing,
leaving wounds you would never be around to witness,
revel in,
or mourn.

You were allowed to walk away,
confident in your truth,
in your world so sure that all others were pushed aside
like so many dust bunnies under the rug,
while the rest of us silently seeped,
careful not to stain the carpet,
the last sour note never quite fading
away.

About this poem

A poem to abusers, bullies, and belittlers everywhere.

Tom