her finger
on the knife.
It slipped out
from under her hand
as the man in her life.

She cuts
out of class
to grab a smoke
and a nip or two.
Stalls as she sits
on the toilet
down the hall,
till the bell clangs.

She cuts
a rug
at the club.
Puts on a **** red angora
sweater. Wears her hair up,
layered and feathered
just to lean against the wall
and see her friends asked
to dance.

She cuts
to the chase.
Doesn’t like puny talk.
She fidgets with a pencil
making doodles. It’s
agitating as her brother
slurping his noodles.