I’d just as quickly squeeze your mouth shut
And stare into your terrorized eyes
As I’d tell you I love you

With that same breath
I would hiss a curse that splits my lips
And passes my grinding teeth
Promising both pain and suffering

I’d love to squeeze inappropriately
The soft parts of you
That are prone to breaking
And feel their delicate nature
Beneath my callous one
And know that might
Always in circumstances like these
Makes right

It is easier for me
To keep you in fear
Than to go through the motions required
To keep you in love
With some sort of worked on
Troubled over
Presentation of me

So cross my will
And feel it come down
In the form of my heavy hand
On your free speaking throat
I’ll remind you of all the tender bits
You need to be you