Age five I never tripped
Never got hurt
No bone broken
They gave me bandages anyway
I could see their bandages
Underneath every shirt
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Age 10 a knife was stuck into my chest
Drip
Drip
Drip
But no one else saw the blood
Only the knife through my lungs
I couldn’t breathe
They gave me a bandage and told me
That’s life
I could see theirs bandaged chests
There was no blood on them
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Age twelve I went outside
My pockets filled with spare bandages
Had to be prepared for the cuts to bleed through
A man I had never seen before told me
You don’t need those bandages anymore
He ripped off the cloth covering my scrapes
Only a bead of blood trickled out
I didn’t know why he did it
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I see him again
He tells me
You don’t need those bandages anymore
I take them off
The **** on my chest
Still bleeding profusely
A small cut near my thigh
Drip
Drip
Drip
His own blood stained bandages covered his eyes
His body sticky from the blood the wound caused
I think he needs a doctor
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I see him
Again
Again
Again
I bandage myself more
Only to rip it off when I see him
Drip
Drip
Drip
My chest is soaked
I think I need a doctor
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Age fifteen I hadn’t seen him in years
But he was there when anyone spoke
Too many bandages
Not enough space
Too much blood
Drip
Drip
Drip
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In two months time I saw a man I had known for many years
You need another bandage. I can see your cuts
I think his eyes are damaged
I can see the blood coming through
I think he needs a doctor