When you put out a cigarette
it burns
a perfectly round hole
straight through the surface
of whatever material it touches
Delicate paper is instant
You are lucky
if the whole sheet
doesn’t burst into flames
Cloth takes more time
to sizzle through
Skin takes even longer
No matter the time
No matter the material
No matter how you patch it
The hole
The scar
The stitches
The pucker
The burn
The memory
remains
Trust
is the most delicate
handmade
paper