Pull your hair tightly
into a high pony tail
Make it tighter still.
There is something to be said
for immaculate strands
and their fraying roots.
Memorize the story of King Solomon
and the baby so that the sensation
of being severed in half
becomes as familiar as breathing.
The stinging sensation should fade
as breath and cauterization become synonymous.
Learn to decipher biological code,
which shade of hair color, height, weight
or tone of voice combination is lethal?
Accurate? What patterns of behaviors
become red flags? How many indicators
of violence equate a report? Decide.
Learn the difference between Tylenol
and a Tylenol with codeine in it.
Notice the subtle alleviation
of a dull ache from swallowing water
You should have learned how to swim
away at a faster pace.
Photo Credit: dualdflipflop Flickr via Compfight cc
