The speaker is an unspecified person who disassociates from their body after causing themself injury. It’s not specified whether this injury was done intentionally or by accident, but the cut becomes a source of fascination. They examine both the damaged thumb and the blood pouring out of it, attributing a range of images and symbols to the experience. In this way the injury becomes more of a mental process than a physical one, and the speaker’s reaction is informed less by bodily pain than by internalized trauma. The speaker fluctuates between perceptions of the thumb as a companion and as an enemy. This shows that the speaker is likely someone who is at odds with their own inner nature and experiences heightened internal conflict.