One Cut Poem by Payyton Egerstaffer

“One cut. That’s it. That’s all.” you told me
“One cut will make you feel stress free”

“One cut, ” I said “That’s all it takes
One cut is such a big mistake”

“One cut, ” you said, ”won't hurt I swear
One slit on your arm right there”

I watched you slit your arm, and then I did it too
I don't know why− I guess it seemed like the cool thing to do

“One little cut, ” I told myself “I’ll be just fine”
So I started cutting myself all the time

I became addicted− I needed to cut my arm
“A few more cuts, ” I told myself “won't do any harm”

But then one day, my mom walked in
“What are you doing? Why’d you start and when”

These are questions that she said
As all the memories rushed through my head

I got help, and now I'm better
So I wrote you this letter

When I got home, I asked where you were
“She never got help, ” Mom said. “Something terrible happened to her.”

“One cut. That’s it. That’s all.” you said
And you almost wound up dead

I know one cut is all it takes
One cut is such a huge mistake