there is a word on my forehead
as though God took a big rubber stamp
and a bright red ink pad
took me by the back of the head to steady me and
pressed it right on
making sure every letter
was permanent
then He let me go.
i wandered around lost for awhile
at first only vaguely aware something was there
i knew very well the looks i received
meant i had a lable i could not see
but the more i squinted at myself in the mirror
the deeper the lines bled together
i knew i was smudged
but was still illiterate.
i woke up to it one day
the world suddenly
all too clear.
and when i looked in the mirror then
reading the word meant now
i could define it
no longer allowing the opposite
turning stigma and shame into
something i can work with.
Apr 6, 2011
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:57 PM UTC
there is a word on my forehead
as though God took a big rubber stamp
and a bright red ink pad
took me by the back of the head to steady me and
pressed it right on
making sure every letter
was permanent
then He let me go.
i wandered around lost for awhile
at first only vaguely aware something was there
i knew very well the looks i received
meant i had a lable i could not see
but the more i squinted at myself in the mirror
the deeper the lines bled together
i knew i was smudged
but was still illiterate.
i woke up to it one day
the world suddenly
all too clear.
and when i looked in the mirror then
reading the word meant now
i could define it
no longer allowing the opposite
turning stigma and shame into
something i can work with.