Edges Fraying

Ragged skin around the nails,

a peeling border, faint and frail.

Stubborn sticker catches skin,

a rawness worn beneath the din.

Fingers tug and catch again,

nags like tiny, cracked remains.

The cuticles retreat and split,

fragile edges stretched and lit.

Red and rough, a quiet sting,

neglect worn like a hidden ring.

Small corners breaking free—

a quiet ache beneath my sleeve.