as he walked
across the broken glass
strewn all over the floor
he realized
it was the sound
as much as the cutting
that got to him
like a car on a gravel road
crunching
shifting
with every pained step
the song sang
softly into his ears
kept him going on
ever onward
from one torture
to another
broken glass
to tormented loved ones
head up
feet bleeding
he knew one day
it would end

all things end.