City Scars

some art begs you to understand the artist's private pain.

carved
into the wood and plastic flesh of municipal infrastructure
the bus stops and benches
school desks and timetables
self harm writ large and small

rush among an urban tapestry of self inflicted wounds
from the self immolation of burnt out bins
fresh with the scent of cathartic arson
to the indelible pigment of scrawled graffiti
ink poured into a concrete skin
churning blunt hurt into
sleeves of ornate pain and wisdom

violent acts are rarely witnessed in the flesh
whether stubbing a cigarette on a perspex chest
running a key over an enamel thigh
or a pen tip pushed deep into an acrylic arm
but we witness the marks
fossils of captured pain 
screaming their silent evidence

never belittle the bravery required to ask someone
to share your suffering
never belittle the bravery required to call out
your name into that enormous night

into the tarmac we cry