How to Bathe

Stare at the mirror

Touch the cold glass with your numb fingertips

and breathe in...

...breathe out. 

Notice how plump your cheeks are

from the rest of your bones 

You move your fingers

to smooth the wrinkles

of your young face

The tears keep on pouring 

"Hush"

your swollen lips part. 

Take off your shirt 

It smells too much

of musk and pine so much

unlike the vanilla scent of your 

shadow-tattoed wrists and you,

you cry

again

"Hush" 

Your dirty soles run to the bathroom 

quickly, turning on the faucet 

and you wonder what is 

with you that turned him on 

You lay on the tub 

but you are angry 

With bare hands, you scrub

Scrub so hard, scrub to erase

Scrub to be clean

Your pale skin turns crimson

but you don't stop

because he did not 

HUSH 

he whispered, softly so softly

but the screams, the groans, the unwanted moans

continued to fill your ears

and you cry

again

"Hush" 

you tell yourself 

Your tears are too pure for this world.