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.