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1.

still tender, a brick-red reminder

of pains past

throbbing even now

under the neon smiley face Band-Aid

you put over it.

2.

softer, paler, stronger, deeper

life runs thicker through the veins

that feed it

bringing that life back to your heart

along with the pain

for all you feel

that you have ever felt

is the pain.

3.

you wear long sleeves

unable or unwilling to face me

when I ask why

why you do so in August.

4.

you show it to everybody

eager for them to ask

how it came to be part of you

and all you can say is

the other guy came out worse.

5.

you return from the doctor

he said he's sorry,

he can't do anything for you,

you should get used to it.

not good enough, you say

and you return to the phone book

looking for someone to help you

you look a long time.

6.

you look at it

seeing only the memory

reliving its creation

unaware that the skin itself

has long ago healed.