Friends. The edge of reason

She cut off her right arm
all mad and hastey like
all fucked up and no where to go
bleeting like some lost lamb
strayed to the darker belly
edge of her reason

like bashing your head
against a feather brick wall
razor blade and coffee tears
gravel for breakfast voice
the wrangle wrestle tussle
skin of helplessness

She cut off her nose
to spite her face,
shook prides hand whilst
kicking it in the teeth
married stubbornness
only to divorce minutes later

she fought half heartedly all dreary day
lamely through cloud covered night
through the magnanimous minutes
and the 'holier than thou' hours
grasping the elusive thread
of catch me if you can humble pie.

With vicious stabbing motions
she sliced each page
from her glittery black address book
splashed acid on
the imprinted photos of her youth
yelled and howled with the frustration worn by kids

drowning in vodka fumes
some months later
she came up for air
from under the dank dusty duvet
tossing, turning
climbed down from the edge of reason

rubbing her eye with
her one arm stump
she took a calming breath
her nose in a jar laughing
on the bed side table
her arm chucked behind the wardrobe

She pulled the thread from her eyes
took the needle from her arse
stitching her arm back on quietly
her nose a little less quietly
she contemplated broodily
on the likely hood of a to late salvation.