Violent Wit

Pins and needles
Pins and needles
    Shouldn't hurt, but

Unrelenting
Penetrating
    At first anoying--
    Only an itch,
Now digging deep beneath my flesh
    A pin
    A needle bites and tears.

Word!
O, careless word
              Recklessly flung from your mouth!
It shouldn't hurt,
But it still digs,
    Threads resentment,
      Infection,
       Bitterness in my heart.

Shock

Then silence . . .
    My wounded heart cries defiance:
          "How dare you throw that phrase at me!"
    But momentarily,
    I try to ignore . . .

Now my heart screams
          "Violence!"
    As it writhes in pain and hurt.
    Blood out-spilled,
    It shakes, it quivers,
          Folds in on itself,
              Withering.

Cleverly chosen,
Cleverly spoken
    Wit,
Hard to forget
    Especially as a needle,
    Boring my defence,
    Surprise attack--

I am devastated.