Papercut by Marcie Blandford

You can’t see the pain at first
even though you squint your
eyes and cross them just enough,
blurring the vision to pinpoint
the stubborn location.
 
The pain is recognizable and
pricks you from the inside since
the external source is hiding.
You use your other fingers to squish
the plump pulsing pinky.
 
You wonder if the sudden sensitivity,
and blotched area beside the nail
is from pitching it too hard. You hope
the pain isn’t infected,
having heard horror stories of diseases
 
transmitted from sweaty gym benches
or overused ellipticals. You try to
refocus and ignore the slighted
stinging sensation but you’re drawn
to your pinky noticing an appearing thin red line.