You stabbed me with invented labels
a game of hearsay growing from now and then
to vent away daily coming from nowhere
going with swearing questions
you didn't wear answers to

steely eyes sharpened to sustain injuries
gaping with a thin quit-then gleam I endured
your cleaver in my gut instinct's distraction
from your quiet inner keyhole enjoying
picking arguments with any scabs
from scratch to ******
turning the skeleton lock ever tighter
urging on the surge of red
to efface
that once kissed every goodbye
all ****** traces of love

until it fell pale under the pressure
low wounds gasped “bereft”
and my open heart closed
unconditional
for critical surgery