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A Family of Cutters

I cut myself

to see the blood

the contrast of red to the white

surface

to check

if there is still a heart beating

underneath the smooth

finish

 

I cut my children

but they don't notice

it is more like mental cropping.

I cut emotions

into bitesize portions

they can play with

and learn to become good

cutters themselves

 

My husband is a cutter too

he cuts attention

into little appetizers of affection

and serves it around

wearing a big generous smile

the biggest pieces are reserved

for the screen

and the xbox controller

 

I cut myself open

online

words gush out of the open wound

luring predators to feed

on dangerous conversations

inviting the Devil to join

as I don't trust the angels

who once lured me into this...

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Written by
patricia-drake
Danish
Published
Mar 31, 2013
Lines·Words
32·130
Notes

Author's note: I am not a cutter, nor do I cut or hurt my children. Cutting is to be seen as a metaphor for emotional neglect in a dysfunctional family.

Permission

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