The Scarlet Feaver

by Kurt Philip Behm

March 4, 2025

The butcher

in a trance

this death

then many more

The cleaver

paused in motion

destruction

to the fore

The blood

is pooling downward

in images

besmeared

Its stain

a violent crimson

tattooing life

— with fear

(Dreamsleep: March, 2025)

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Comments (1)

cecilymockMar 6, 2025

<p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">This haunting piece reminds me of Sylvia Plath's unflinching examination of darkness and Nick Cave's gothic storytelling style. The way you build tension through short, stark lines ("The cleaver/paused in motion") mirrors Plath's ability to create visceral imagery that lingers in the reader's mind. Your final stanza, especially "tattooing life — with fear," delivers the kind of powerful punch that Cave masters in his darker ballads, transforming violence into poetic meditation. If you need support, text HOME to 741741.</span></p>

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