Mettle by Sarah E. Azizi

Feng Shui says to keep knives

out of sight. Self-harm management 

says to lock them up. But I’ve got lemons 

piled high, a pitcher full of ice, & always,

so much to slice. The puppy angles to go out,

hunt for prey. Whether you’re dog or woman, 

at some point, there’s only the past. People 

do such harm, but I lick the pulpy 

juice of risk, for any day could be the last. 

I can’t alter instinct, can’t dependably, flawlessly 

define what is good or what is cruel, but how

I love the dichotomy of wooden handles, soft 

& firm, cradled tight in my palm. I slide the glass 

door wide open, let the dog roam. My metal

 blade’s cold enough to burn. Unwilling to prune 

everything I’ve got left to grow within, 

I carve out what’s ahead.

_______________

Sarah E. Azizi's publications include Rattle, Fahmidan, Wrongdoing, The Coop, Emerge Literary Journal, & Free State Review. Her work appears in anthologies from Bell Press & Querencia Press. Her debut collection, Make a Wish, will be published by ELJ Editions in 2025. She lives with her daughter, among friends, family of choice, and piles of unfinished work. Follow her all over: @SEAziziWrites