[Glenn Wright]

Version 2
Cut

With Occam’s razor I somehow cut my heart,
poking around my lover’s glib excuses.
Most of her lies were flimsy. They fell apart
when touched by tears. I saw that the abuses
had been there in plain sight for quite a while.
I bandaged my injury with a forced smile.

Considering all the evidence together,
of course her words and heart had been untrue.
I’d tried to explain her moodiness as weather,
the storms and dry spells couples all go through.
Receipts, late night homecomings, a phone call
from a strange man—I’d overlooked them all.

I told her I had finally solved her puzzle.
Her silent nod congratulated me.
I stayed composed by straining every muscle
while listening to the curt apology
she offered like a bowl brimful of acid.
Her voice was steady; her features, smooth and placid.

Naming it out loud was oddly calming.
It gave some weight and shape to what had been
a premonition, threatening and alarming,
now just a paper cut, deep in the skin,
without much blood. I’ll clean and bind the damage,
and accept it as a hurt that I can manage.
Relieved, she packed her things and left her key,
Cutting me loose and setting us both free.
——————————————————
Edits:
S1L1: Today with Occam’s razor I cut my heart, > With Occam’s razor I somehow cut my heart,
S1L3: the > her
S2L5: Receipts, unexplained absences, the phone call > Receipts, late night homecomings, a phone call
S2L6: from a strange man—I’d put them behind a wall. > from a strange man—I’d overlooked them all.
S4L8: Cutting me loose and setting herself free. > Cutting me loose and setting us both free.

Version 1
Cut

Today with Occam’s razor I cut my heart,
poking around my lover’s glib excuses.
Most of the lies were flimsy. They fell apart
when touched by tears. I saw that the abuses
had been there in plain sight for quite a while.
To bandage my injury I used a smile.

Looking at all the evidence together,
of course her words and heart had been untrue.
I’d tried to explain her moodiness as weather,
the storms and dry spells couples all go through.
Receipts, distracted silences, the phone call
from a strange man—I’d put them behind a wall.

So saying it out loud was strangely calming.
It gave some weight and shape to what had been
a premonition, threatening and alarming,
and was now a paper cut, deep in the skin,
but not much blood. I’ll clean and bind the damage
and accept it as a hurt that I can manage.

I told her I was done solving her puzzles.
Her silent nod congratulated me.
My face grew stiff and tense, my smiling muscles
ached. She made a curt apology,
offered like a bowl brimful of acid.
Her voice was steady; her features, smooth and placid.

Her speech was free of blame and of remorse.
She’d had it ready. I think she was relieved.
Her lack of feeling for me made it worse,
knowing how easily she had deceived
my willing heart. She packed and left her key,
cutting me loose and setting herself free.
——————————————————
Edits:
Title: Turning the Page > Cut
S1L2: poking around in all her glib excuses. > poking around my lover’s glib excuses.
S2L2: of course I must have known she’d been untrue. > of course her words and heart had been untrue.
S2L3: I’d tried to explain her distance as just weather, > I’d tried to explain her moodiness as weather,
S2L6: from a strange man—they made me build a wall. > from a strange man—I’d put them behind a wall.
S3L4: a paper cut, painful, deep in the skin, > and was now a paper cut, deep in the skin,
S4L1: I told her I had finally solved her puzzle. > I told her I was done solving her puzzles.
S4L4: ached. She made a calm apology. > ached. She made a curt apology.