Be Still My Beating Heart

Be Still My Beating Heart

I smashed one’s head in with a hammer
arranged his brains upon the floor,
shot six in the kneecap
put two more in his skull
four and five were poisonings
eight left swinging from a rope
nine fought back, but I fought harder
clawed seven’s eyes out, slit his throat—
ten was a beheading
blood dripping from my blade
three went quietly
whispering my name
twelve I held underwater
struggling ’til he drowned
eleven was a pleader
he bled out all the same
two was the hardest
she looked me in the eyes
watched as I devoured her
held her beating heart
and still I am, still, sitting here
waiting for your call
breathing heavy, red-handed,
killing time.