A Cutter’s Escape

It was her way of keeping the doctor away
Once, twice,
sometimes three or four--
each season. She called it her comfort zone.

She handpicked the ripest one
from the bushel by its haft
and ran it under water till she could see
distortion in the fluid producing utensil.

She slowly rolled her right sleeve
to her thrift shop T-shirt
past her ball in socket
as the edged apparatus performed the first notch.
Strategically placed on her wrought iron desk,
three Expression tissues,
absorbed the metallic canals
that seeped from her elbow
once, twice,
sometimes three or four--
each season,
until the seasons no longer changed.


Sarah Demers is a 27 year old middle school teacher in New Hampshire.