Hard Boiled - 2019 Rewrite

Handful of sweets like teeth

launched straight

into his open mouth

makes you wince:

head flipped back - 

trilby glued on -

and all over in no time.

Back to the broken nose

you first saw; and the glare.

Looking around won't help - 

how nerves work is his living.

His thoughts aren't many

but they're stark

and made for this.

Have to hope something

happens out of a dream:

He loses interest and leaves.

Close your eyes like life won't end.