Remember
How your hands would sweat
While you were scraping off skin
Praying no one would look
Look at you and wonder
Where scars came from?
Remember
How you would curl in
Curl in on yourself
Wishing for release
Release in blood
Release in blood and pain?
Do you remember?
Yes.
I remember.

Remember
The noise it would make
Knocking against thin skin
Stretched tightly over bones
Hips and shoulders
Remember
How strikes
Would feel numb
After the first
Few
Shocks of pain?
Remember
How the bruises looked
Purple and green secrets
Branded on your skin?
Flecked with red blood
Blood below the surface
Invisible scars?
Do you remember?
Yes.
I remember.

Remember
The feel of razors 'gainst your skin?
Placed there almost
Casually
Not entering
But gentle
Like unspoken dreams.
Remember
The way a deep slit
Deep slit would look
Right before it would bleed
Like a messy hole
Incomplete skin
Unfinished flesh
Remember
The terror of bloodstained
Bloodstained sheets
Bloodstained shirts?
Trying to hide
What shouldn't be there
Lying through your teeth?
Do you remember?
Yes.
I remember.