Temporary Mercy

Because you can.
Because something happens to you.
You feel powerful. Immortal.
It's a gun you hold to someone's head.
With a solid clench of someone's heart.
Maybe you never realize.
You could have killed me, long ago.
And left your grand plans for nothing.
I try not to listen to you,
my hand straying to your cheek.
My beaten hand.
Your words don't matter.
I imagine they're something else
that I see in your voice.
I imagine that gun is fear.
And your clench isn't really here.
In your eyes is nothing.
That mercy you show me
is temporary
and irrelevant, to me.
You keep me alive, beaten.
Because you can
Because something happens to you
You feel powerful