An Eye For A Knife

When Joe at the desk in front
Finished paring his pencil in Science
He passed me my knife back blade first
See the scar on my left forefinger

Brother Malachy, short fat ‘n round
Took me up front by the blackboard
“Lift it up high – see it stops
Lower it below the heart – it starts”

We collected knives – usually penknives
Though Tom’s mother said a sheath knife was
Safer than a letter opener – if you fell
It could run you right through

It was harder to throw heavy penknives
But we played “splits” and there was a knack
There were single and double blades
And ones with all sorts of gadgets

Brother Cuthbert had a slim white knife
Sharp for taking geranium cuttings
He said the best make was by James Barber
Sheffield steel from Capel Street by the Liffey

William Brown wanted the one with
The blade for taking stones from a horse’s hoof
And Swallows and Amazons had clasp knives
Even Roger who was younger than me

And Damilola Taylor was stabbed
With a broken bottle ‘n thug boys
Maybe as well as taking stuff away
We need to give some things back to children