Poem 460

The instability of things and how abruptly that can turn into teetering on the edge … someone who is quick to feel impinged upon (perhaps rightly) and reaches for a sabre to rattle in defence …

( I like the two meanings of compass points (north south east west as well as the mathematical instrument with sharp points) the images of bottle top eye and point the bone tongue, the Medusa reference and the ironic quotes on ‘preparing’ – what happened to just cutting them up? … )

Edgy

Careful
I have the edge in my pocket

would you want your mother your children
to plummet thousands of feet

then don't talk to me by walking compass points
around my body
don't give me the bottle top eye
and keep your point the bone tongue
to yourself

tell your hair to stop hissing
and steer your little feeties
well clear of my shins
or you get this

when I snap the edge open
it'll go through anything
next time you're in the kitchen 'preparing' vegetables
look out your feet don't go slipping suddenly
in opposite directions

once I let this thing loose
there's no telling
it stays on the move
lives on startle reactions
there under the bed
there in the cupboards
that sheet you pull up in the middle of the night
in a line across your chin
is it safe
to be trusted
or is it the edge?