when you hate yourself so much that you can feel it in your bones
and nothing feels as good as the tightening around your throat
and physical pain is just a distraction from the empty darkness in your soul

when you dig down deep inside but find nothing but carcasses of thoughts
and even though the memories are vague, the emotion has yet to rot
and despite their blurred outlines, scars, you have not forgot

when you know that they have skinned you, left you tarred and feathered
left you out to fend for yourself in the harshest of weather
you know, deep inside, that
someday it will all be better

                    *-lf-