Knives for Tears by Valerie Parente

I had a nightmare
that I had knives
instead of tears
embedded under my eyes
from when someone stabbed me
but I survived.

I woke up
only to realize
it wasn’t a nightmare at all
but a beautiful sign
of my scathing resilience
when they thought I’d cry.

– Valerie Parente (5-10-2024)