The radio plays and the knife              a wedding gift            one of a block 

           the longest one              the hymn sharp as blade                      the baby’s skin

one arm easy enough               but the blood               O         the scream       hymn of the 

screaming child                           and the knife an elixir

soothing paste                         blade a bandage                           tourniquet                the other arm

           my voice on the tip of the blade                                    on the blade’s

wetted edge                                         the radio plays                                                 I sing              

blood on my hands                                 vocal chords                    and the hymn

won’t stop                               the knife sings more                and more                    

           O were it night                          were darkness to cover this                 O this scream

and the neighbor’s voice         at the edge of the hymn                       the neighbor’s voice

           Put down your knife                                                      and the knife says Him           

and the hymn says Him                       and I do as I’m told.