[originally posted on sceadugenga.com on August 29, 2020;
modified September 1, 2026]
denise, with black & sick-green
painted nails, rat's nest siouxsie hair
hefted each of her knit long sleeves
showed me her arms, each
etched with words:
"MAGGOT"
"WHORE"
"TRAMP"
"GROTESQUE"
in block letters, thinking
to scare me away
"i'm ugly, on medication &
i cut myself.
see? doesn't that scare you?"
expecting me to make excuses
as to why i had to leave
i smiled sadly,
not sure how to tell her
i'd share her pain,
if only she'd let me,
having carried the burden
of my own
she drifted away before i might reply,
an ophelia in the weeds
Note: I am taking a short break from posting new material and am tossing out a few older pieces as explained here and here. Thanks for your continuing support.
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