But what about that side of my brain?
The side I try hard to restrain
From causing him unworldly pain.

The side that wants to grab his head
And smash it through the garden shed.

The side that wants to slice his leg
And pinch his penis with a wooden peg.

The side that wants to peel his skin
And rub his flesh with salt and gin.

The side that wants to snap his jaw
And chop his cheeks with a rusty saw.

The side that wants to set him on fire
And lash his arms with sharp barbed wire.

The side that wants to tear off his bum
And staple it to his fat, right thumb.

The side that wants to carve out his lungs
And fill the gap with two cow dungs.

The side that wants to stab his heart
And rip his testicles apart.

The side that leaves me stunned with fear
Wondering how my path led here…

So in response to your question,
One I’ve thoroughly thought through,
Do I take this man beside me?
My answer is: ‘I do’.

© Carl Burkitt 2013