Bud opens its eyes

to greet the first light of dawn

flower comes to life

Such I am so used to-
others' insulting remarks
I am immune-- my skin
bears no bleeding marks

(read forward, then backward, line by line)

I ran.
Not knowing what else to do
There was so much blood on my hands
It was mine
The kitchen knife
Caught in my chest
Guilt
Consumed by
Fear
I was heightened by
Adrenaline
But running on
Wasn’t enough
While trying to stay calm,
Losing control
It was me that would end up
Dead. Because
He was
In front of me
The whole time
It was too late
Trapped
I found myself
Locked in chains
My fate was
Death.

Deep sighs at day break*
Our heated surface no match for the inferno inside
Raging for the ache of your dark touch
Sweat slicks already lubricated flesh
I curve into the muscled wall of your chest
Closer
I need it
I need you
Appalachia shadows criss cross fogged windows
Penetrating stories written along their dewed edges
I writhe beneath your whispers of
"Come for me"
Body bowed, tight like violin strings
Played by expert, elegant fingers
Shudder. Surrender
The seat of my soul flooding with pleasure, with release
Request granted

They say Beauty is skin deep
At least according to society
And if you don't conform
Life will be a hellofa storm
Gold lies beneath the sand
So with a shaking hand
I dig in to my skin
Mining for what's within
digging for what you can't see
What is deep inside me
Red gold bubbles at the surface
It hurts but that's why I do this
Beauty pays a price
And this is souly my choice
the scars aren't pretty
And this isn't beauty
It's still you I love
But A mismatched glove
I am to you
Into the trash you threw
Me away
Another day
Passes and No matter how
Deep I dig, I know now
It's not me
I'm not ugly
It's society