Violent Wit

The worst part about the surprise insult was the humor in which he marinated it.

Pins and needles
Pins and needles
    Shouldn't hurt, but

Unrelenting
Penetrating
    At first anoying--
    Only an itch,
Now digging deep beneath my flesh
    A pin
    A needle bites and tears.

Word!
O, careless word
              Recklessly flung from your mouth!
It shouldn't hurt,
But it still digs,
    Threads resentment,
      Infection,
       Bitterness in my heart.

Shock

Then silence . . .
    My wounded heart cries defiance:
          "How dare you throw that phrase at me!"
    But momentarily,
    I try to ignore . . .

Now my heart screams
          "Violence!"
    As it writhes in pain and hurt.
    Blood out-spilled,
    It shakes, it quivers,
          Folds in on itself,
              Withering.

Cleverly chosen,
Cleverly spoken
    Wit,
Hard to forget
    Especially as a needle,
    Boring my defence,
    Surprise attack--

I am devastated.