Scars and skin

Scars and skin




as we lay there in her momma's bed
her fingers traced that scar between my ribs
and asked again how did it happen
so I told her again
about the knife and the coward
and then she asked the strangest thing
how did it feel when the blade entered my skin
my thoughts lingered and wandered
trying to evaluate and quantify the pain
or did it really deserve to be called pain
so I said I wasn't sure
so her fingers moved to my face
and traced that torn skin on my right cheek
and asked again about how it happened
and again I told her of the beer bottle and the asshole
and she asked that strangest of things again
how did it feel when the glass sliced your cheek
and all I could think to say was
how did your first period feel