your handprints are seared onto my cheek and my neck and my heart and soul
and it burns
and i wanted to scream and claw at the time
because the pain wasn't the nice pain that i craved and sought for
it was the kind of pain that you only get when you sell your soul
and i wanted to push you away and make it stop but
you looked at me
the look was all pearly white smiles and ocean deep dimples
and the horns above your head were bent into a crooked halo and i was putty in your hands
so now the prints live there
branded onto my face
humiliating and loving and demeaning and cruel and selfish all at the same time
because you will always be a part of me but you scrub yourself with holy water until your hands bleed to be rid of me
