He comes into your life
without telling you his name.
He climbs onto your shoulder,
and chews the ends of your hair quietly
in the middle of a seminar.
You feel the weight of him sitting on you
and you want to crawl beneath your chair.

He keeps you from going to the doctor,
the therapist, the energy worker,
even your mentor, your sister, your friend.
You look around but you don't see him
visiting anyone else.
You try to hide him.
No one must see!  

You stuff him in the closet
when company comes.
They furrow their brows at you,
become withdrawn,
and suddenly
you feel him on your shoulder again.

They ask you why you don't go to the doctor
and you can't tell them.
I don't want to be seen.
I don't want the doctor to say,
"There's something wrong with you."
I don't want to be touched,
because I've been touched wrong before
and Shame stole my voice from me.