my aunts and uncles used to
joke about how the boys will be
"all over me" one day and i would
laugh
i wish they had been wrong

the men never stopped coming and
taking and leaving
i was never asked if i was willing to
give

i sifted for love through broken glass and
rusty nails
i ran over the burning coals of heartbreak
stripped of my socks and shoes

no one helped to heal my wounds or
mend my heart
self-soothing became routine and i wasn't
one to break cycle

finding solace in the arms of the shell of a once
gentle soul
too-tight grips and apologies soon replaced his
compassion

i watched as the man of my dreams became
a monster i couldn't bear to see
i'll save you if you save me