Tonight's Poet Corner: My Mental Persuasion

My Mental Persuasion
by Belinda Roddie

Feel the crunch when I'm in combat,
the gnash of teeth on the back of
my neck. I'm sweating stripes, and I'm
painted red, like the cider and whiskey
going straight to my head. My hands

are stripped bare from the stains
of your grip, your lipstick, your
pains, your patience. I am hot from the
cold. My cheeks are on fire. I am way
too tired to stop the rampage now.

Halfway to the bus stop, I see them
waiting. They're drinking black rum
straight from the glass. I've passed out
before from the stuff, but I won't run
this time. There's the chomping again,
the jaws clamping down hard, nagging me,

"Well, go on, then. Do it." My brain has
its own mouth to coax me with. I zoom
in on the man who grabbed you from
behind, and before he can blink, he's
drunkenly reeling from my very first
swing.