Scriscratch: Poem Analysis

Why did I survive?
. . .
Scriscratch. Star. Scriscratch. Star. Scratchstatchscratchsratch. Bar.
Why write “bar” on the bar symbol? It’s obvious: Shaped like a bar.
Scriscratch. Itchy neck.
What lottery to play next? So many themes! Tropical? Had potential. Gold? Too broad. Fourth of July? No longer relevant.
So many tickets. No end in sight. Must keep out of sight.
No end. But end of days.
Keep on playing.
Scriscratch. Itchy stomach.
Underwater theme. Been a long time since water. Can’t remember the feeling.
A noise. By cash register. Are they here?
Should keep scratching. Scratch all three spots. Survival of the scratchiest.
Scriscratch. Mermaid. Scriscratch. Shark. Scratchstatchscratchsratch. Mermaid.
Flakes. All over the floor. All over
feet. Dirty feet become dirtier. Toenails starting to curl down. Could they scratch cards? Double productivity.
Pirate theme. More water even though no water. Still have time.
Noises. Scriscratch. More noise. Scriscratch. Movement. Scratchstatchscratchsratch. Another loss.
Always three spots to scratch.
Why? Religion? Trinity? Colours? Switch theme.
Lottery style poker. Poker requires plan. Lottery. No plan. Just scratch. No strategy only rhythm: Scratch card, have hope, lose, lose hope, curse odds, repeat, survive.
What were the odds? Of surviving?
One in a million.
A million to one.
Only one. Why? No one else. For miles. Empty life.
Creatures. Claws. Stalking.
Scriscratch. Ear.
Must hide. Not so hidden. Play more. Win life.
Scratching. Cathartic. Removing skin. Flakes falling to the floor.
Football theme. No scratch. Pull tab.
Multiple noises. Multiple movements.
Pull. Football whistle helmet.
Pull tabs. Reveal loss of life underneath. Cheap. No suspense. Pull loose. Pull. Lose.
Pull back camera. Discarded tickets. Tiny pile. Pull back. In corner. Minimal light bouncing from shattered glass. Pull back. Empty shelves. Dilapidated. Rust. Empty stomachs.
Pull back. Convenience store convenient to none. Floors of debris. Torn bags. Mauled packages. Crushed cans. Broken bottles.
Pull back. Animal chow. Tins of subhuman sustenance. Gouged open. Bite marks. Metal impressions.
Pull back. Door hanging. Hinging. Half boarded up. Splintered from attack. Flipped car. Empty streets. Pull. . . .
Pull. . .
.
Too much to comprehend. Sadness. Isolation. End of life. Of days.
No more pull. Scratch.
The odds of one’s survival.
One in a hundred? Thousand? Million?
Creatures in peripheral. Malformed. Humps. Mange. Splashed hair. Eyes glowing. Yellow red. Mutated yet graceful. Click clack. Metal shelves.
Just one more game. Always time. One more scratch. Millions more. Must win.
Low noise. Up high. Deep inside. Pass through shattered bones, new organs. Guttural. Deeper than guttural. Darker than gurgle. Gurgural.
Feline-like creatures. Unsheathe claws. Splay nails. Stalking forward.
Current theme. Animals. Win. Life.
Current scene. Animals? Lose. Life.
Scriscratch. Lion. Scriscratch. Lion. Scratchstatchscratchsratch. Lion.
Blink.
Scriscratch. Scriscratch. Scratchstatchscratchsratch. Scriscratch. Scriscratch. Scratchstatchscratchsratch. All silver flakes removed.
Three lions. Golden fur. Golden luck.
Creatures. Disappearing fur. Disappearing luck.
Golden sun. Golden jackpot. A million!
A million for one.
What were the odds? Of surviving?
Surrounded.
I won. I win again.
Pounce. Claws.
What were the odds?
Scriscratch.