Industrial Strength

The coaster snapped when I set down my mug,

so I grabbed the tube with a desperate tug.

I squeezed the plastic a little too hard

and now my thumb is permanently scarred.

The clear bead ran down the side of my skin,

and that’s where the chemical panic set in.

My fingers are fused in a stiff, white crust,

a jagged reminder of misplaced trust.