Bloody Knuckles

“Bloody Knuckles” was published in the Frigg Magazine, December 2016.

your stomach ripples 
as if you swallowed the 
buzzing phone 
that bore the missive 
“baby, I’m gone” 

a sound like a 
bulldozer beeping 
springs from your gut 

you look surprised 
as if you don’t know 
you’re about to blow 

an old memory flashes— 
the Canada girl 
see-through skin 
blue veins 
the lodge 
in Banff 
lead panes 
wracked by 
sheets of 
Arctic rain 
cracking fire 
piled high 
dogs asleep 98 
on bear pelts 
as after medieval hunt 

playing 
knuckles 
with her cruel sisters 
loser’s penance 
full deck slap 
you held 
her hand 
the first time 
her soft 
child skin sticky 
with blood 

the beeping accelerates like 
card flaps against bike spokes 
you hold your breath 
squeeze your eyes and 
wait to detonate