Sink or Swim

He stares into the mirror
and he's met by an ugly mug.
Tired, ragged and angry,
it doesn't look so smug.

Bags under eyes show sleeplessness,
scabbed knuckles signs of madness.
Hunched back shows a subdued surrender,
and welling eyes show sadness.

He looks down at his bare arm,
veins show true and clear.
There's a knife within his pocket,
the end just might be near.

He puts the knife on sink,
and looks at his reflection.
The blade is shiny, sharp, and smooth,
and harm is his intention.

Picks up the knife, now at his wrist,
veins about to split.
He looks back at the mirror now,
and thinks "Well, this is it."

He takes one more big breath,
surely it will be his last;
but a tiny voice inside his head
shouts "Oh not so fast!"

"This ain't the end, you've got some time,
you can make all these wrongs right.
You know, it's always darkest before the dawn,
and the sun is just in sight!"

So he thinks about his family and friends,
and what would they ever think.
So he pulls the knife away from his wrist
and puts it back on the sink.

Author's Note

Had the idea as I stood in the mirror today and thought back on darker days. No worries for me, im alright.

Reviews

[Rita L. Sev]

Will, I am so glad to read your Author's Note - I was a little concerned... You show the inner feelings of this tortured soul well. I held my breath until the end - and I am glad of the hope he finds.

*add an 's' to stares / drop the 'e' in breath

[Will]

I felt obligated to have that note there to reassure friends. Thank you :)

And I honestly mess up the breath/breathe thing every time. I took a shot in the darker because I never get it right. Glad you caught it. Thanks as always for reading and reviewing.