for everything I ended
I left a shed skin behind
*
sometimes, for me,
being a woman means
screaming your guts out
into the frozen sky
to overcome the night
*
you stuffed my body with secrets
harassed my mouth with silence
my hair around a crucifix, around your fabrications
you live in the shadow of your halo
you can’t say a n y t h i n g
you rubbed fear into my skin
*
skin on parking lots
skin in cars
skin in strange beds
skin everywhere
I will say e v e r y t h i n g
*
losing pieces of myself
lesson learned, girl,
retracing steps
a basket in my hand
*
he rubs his body against hers
rolls over her
treats her like dough
buries her beneath him
her soul cracks across her spine
she is no more
he takes it all
w h a t
h a v e
w e
d o n e
he asks
*
living under your roof
meant fighting for my life
amongst the innocent
*
you dragged her through the mud
until she accepted the dirt
that reimagined her with your lies
*
you professed your love for her
whilst your fingers still smelled of other girls
*
too often enchantment
reveals an absolute void
*
I idealised you
and demonised myself
you ate it all up
your bootheel
on my temple
Croque-Melpomene 