I’m running with scissors
for writing this down
I’m running with scissors
just walking around
if you lived in a place
where people get killed
for the people they know
or the lists they could fill
would you get out your scissors?
and break into a run?
or would you lock all your gates
while the world has it’s fun?
she must have woke early
to be out and about
to be 4am running
with her scissors held out
and I wonder who called them
the people next door
‘your mother is dead
we can’t tell you much more …
yes we’re really so sorry
your mother is dead
and we really don’t know
who put 12 shots in her head’
yes running with scissors
is a daily game here
just going to market
or grabbing a beer
or just riding to work
you can really get killed
for the people you know
or the lists you could fill
but I’m back in Australia
let’s all shout hooray
for a few months at least
I can put my scissors away …
© 2016 Melinda Irvine
This poem was also published on ABC Open under the project: Running with Scissors.