Can Opener
by Ann Kelley


Just once I put my finger there to see just how it worked
curious workings the way it chews through metal

Cold metal grips
contest of metal against might
only the dented or demented can offer resistance
you too will struggle hard and still not survive the punishment

Sharp piercing blade
alluring - patient
waiting to stab its next victim
you can hear the hiss or sigh as the damage is inflicted
once the punctured there is no saving the internals from demise

Funny cranky handle
seems comical after the main assault
carousel horses in motion
mesmerizing - round and round

When to stop
When final resistance is encountered too soon
that thread of metal just waiting for you to slip up
lightning fast slashing the flesh

Too late then the cover falls like a man who's been shot
lands flat with a thud and just lies still
waiting to be retrieved.

Correctly enacted the lovely sliver disc should tilt in resolve
offering it's self to you
surrender of the goods, rich as Eve's apple
the bounty a delight






Copyright © 2024 by Red River Review. First Rights Reserved. All other rights revert to the authors.
No work may be reproduced or republished without the express written consent of the author.