I cut my calluses
slice through them with
clippers, knives, scissors
sometimes down to the meat
past the dead unfeeling part
to the part that bleeds
It bubbles right up
like crude,
pressurized
It’s surprising every time
when it hurts
when it bleeds and won’t stop
I wrap tissue after tissue
paper towels if that’s all I’ve got
and pull them away to gauge the flow
Once it’s down to a red dot
I dig deeper