violet bruises ❁ [1]

ii. | all i feel

—

a hand over my mouth
and a hand over my mouth
and a hand on my thigh

and fingernails and teeth
and his hot breath
against my skin

and i feel nothing
and i am glad
all i feel is nothing

and he tells me he's done
with one final grunt
and i can finally breathe

and he leaves in silence
and my mind screams
and screams and screams

[hands. fingernails. teeth. breath. skin.]

and i feel everything
and it is raw
and now all i feel is him

[his hands. his fingernails. his teeth.
his breath. his skin.]

and it doesn't go away
even as i scrub my skin
and shed him from my body

all i feel is him.

—