porcelain hands
bash against me now
shed your knuckle velvet
love all over my body
reddened broken people
hot flashes, dark-eyed
malicious games disguised as
dribbled scarlet pearls
fall down all your fingers
make me want to love you enough
to reel back in hurt
for all we’re worth
is the skin on our bones
and the tear of our flesh
and the fall of our bodies
down into the dirt
—
A poem inspired by thinking about how weird bloody knuckles is as a game. Did anyone else play that as a kid? It was all about hubris, and so strangely masochistic…
Thank you as always to all for reading! :)
About the Creator
angela hepworth
Hello! I’m Angela and I enjoy writing fiction, poetry, reviews, and more. I delve into the dark, the sad, the silly, the sexy, and the stupid. Come check me out!
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Comments (9)
you are such a talent
Never played Bloody Knuckles, but we used to seriously injure people with Red Rover! Then, of course, we had our knife games; Stretch, Chicken and Mumbley Peg.
Sounds like a bad idea, but those were the best ones growing up, so I'm sure I would have played it, lol. Excellent poem that creatively gives life and reason to such an uninspiring game.
Very creative out of a random thought. Like it, and usually my own type of musing.
I've never even heard of it. How is it played? Loved your poem!
Never heard of it; not regretting it. But I thank ye!
The illustration is strikingly apt!
Did not play this...know of people who did. We had a similar thing were you got a full pack of playing cards and wrapped them against your knuckles until you couldn't cope. So, similar idea. It's definitely weird and a wee bit like the beginnings of masochistic interests lol. Your poem was great. Another great one today - we're being spoiled, Angela!
Yes, I played it! Why did we think that was a good idea, lol? Loved the poem and its darker flavor :)