I have big red scars
that I burned into me,                                        
completely by accident,
but they're the first things that you see.

and people ask me all the time
how I ever got so hurt
and I tell them with shrug
that there was plenty that was worse.

Things that never left a mark.
left me mostly unscathed
and those things that you don't see
are the scars that I forgave.

So they disappeared,
and left my skin so pale and smooth
vulnerable to the things
that would cut into me soon.

I wish that I could show you
all the things that hurt me most
but they dug caves within my head
and they whisper around like ghosts.

So when you meet me
and I let you shake my hand
and you see the purple, splotches
the pain I did withstand

Don't ask about the scars
on the surface that you see
don't ask at all
Smile and leave me be.