I still can feel it when I close my eyes.

When I sleep, I am
trapped in a translucent space
where memories meet nightmares,
and it always lingers when
I wake.

The shame burns my insides
worse than any anger could
because even the nightmare
version ofyou
still gaslights me.

I have spent years building a persona
that projects strength so that
I can convince everyone
I would never have let that happen to me.

I am still trying to convince myself
because it's too painful.

Abuse is a ***** word and the others
that follow feel
       even
                dirtier than what
                                         you did to me.

I feel complicit.
I'm a co-conspirator in my own worst
living memory nightmares.

I was weak.
I said yes when I wanted to say no.
I gave in
      again and
                again and
                            again.

If my nightmares were a scene from a movie,
I would, on split screen, have
grabbed my own hand
and tugged myself into my own
horror, "it'll be okay, Meghan."
My subconscious is unrelenting,
unforgiving,
incomprehensible, undeniable
            you are a
    [stupiduglyworthlessspineless]
                        vict­imscratch that
                 survivorscratch that
       human ^tortured
         by            yourselfscratch that
                               him.
Ididthistomyselfscratch that
                                                      He did this to me.