bathing can’t get me clean.
what you dumped on me
won’t come off with soap,
bleach, or gasoline.  
i’m fading  out of focus,
losing sight of my self
as what you've put on me
consumes, corrodes,
and entirely consumes
what was left of self-imagery.
sure, it was never sterling,
and it certainly wasn't gold,
but I at least had faith left
in most parts of my character.

now i’m just rusting away,
and soon they’ll come to start demolition.