Violence of Us

Gold eyes glare
haughty scorn, resentment
embarrassed anger at
who you are
and
what I see
You look at my hands
and find blood
on fingers I restlessly tap
and bend
anxious, aching
rusty blood staining
ragged nails
Nervous teeth, sharp
biting them
slowly back
one
by
one
hiding them
under the table
in restless surrender
You saw my shame
You raised me yours
It’s
what you called me
and it’s
how I knew you
I
could not love
you and you
had to hate
me
You only saw the blood
the sins, the stains
my dirty fingers close
in sweaty palms
wanting to
choke off your words
Can’t reach your neck
they dig into flesh
piercing thick skin
deeper, deeper
then through
more blood on nails
bleeding out
the violence
of us