feeling caged
need company
or conversation
or maybe just
a freshly sharpened blade

shear the sheep
fleece the flock

the walls are
closing
closing
closing in again

can you hear that
just then

hello
is there anyone

in here

the bars have been greased
no climbing
from this cage

a whetstone
an ivory bone
the crimson arcs
to the ceiling
cut too deep
the tendons retreat
clang goes the knife
on the tile

no one talks to the fallen