
My skin does not belong to me
It belongs, evidently, to men
That is why I say yes to him
When he asks me to sleep in his bed
and give him head
or maybe it's because he asked 12 times
but who's counting
not I
I'm to busy lying to myself about actually wanting
him
Kind of like how I lie to myself
about the aching in my stomach
Whenever he touches my skin
I was taught to be this way
the bible said to worship men
do as they say and don't fuss
they have all the control
over us
〰️
Little me didn't know any better
but it was him who solidified the lies
I could say no forever
and he would ask until I changed my mind
〰️
Manipulation of reality
distorted visions smell foul if you can see
bend down and take it, dawg
you wouldn't make it out your own
so do as I say
and you'll make it through the day
〰️
a beautiful picture on the outside
and the years to show face
if there was blame
then it's all my fault
like adam pointed at eve
he pointed at me and screamed
〰️
Why not throw another cup, dear?
how about another dent in the car?
hold me down till slobber falls out
and tell me
it's all your fault
〰️
But he's not here to defend himself
so how could
I
say so much
〰️
if he could speak of my ills
I'm sure that I'd be touched
maybe it was the defending myself
in the only way I knew how
I'm not innocent, my screams were loud
I threatened to leave many times
I said hi to a guy I used to love
Guilt dripped from my seams
Nothing happened other than small talk
so why did he claim it as a cheat?
was it because I didn't listen to his pain
after he gnawed on my bones raw
〰️
maybe it was the dis-order that ate me alive
my staying in bed, trying to hide
energy zapped, i had no life
light too dim
I cannot
abide
〰️
I was never good enough
so why would i bother trying
I could help
he'd be joyous
smile
happy
then get snappy
you don't do anything
you'd never survive on your own
i always take care of you
and provide you with a home
a house is not a home
if anger bursts my face
if challenged by simple tasks
that make him want to attack
〰️
pain dribbled down my mind
but I liked it in the dark
comfort in the jagged rocks
with cuts down my arms
and bleed out i did
all over the place
the floor
the tub
the bed
the space
and bleed out i did
when over my head
i thrashed from unhealed past
i carved my tongue
into spikes that sliced
the insides of my cheeks
and let out a blood curdling cry
his knees began to rattle
〰️
i thought i might grab
the cold hard steel blade
and cut him right into bits
if he continued to yell at me
〰️
then one day
it all changed
I say day as if years didn't pass
where healing took my heart down a different path
i sat on the bed in the cramped little room
an explosion in my face
I reached out my heart
and a kindness did float
off my tamed tongue
in peacefully surrender
but what was met was the same old jet
this is all your fault
he said
〰️
dᵢd ₕₑ ₑᵥₑₙ ᵣₑₘₑₘbₑᵣ?
〰️
a splitting image
the same red face
a voice so loud
it slowed my pace
and tears did flow
right now my face
in streams like those
leading up to lakes
and still he yelled
not bothered by
the cold water soaking my cheeks
nor the sobs that escaped my breath
could shower my relief
the boiling hot, it covered over
like a blanket filled with fleas
a second glance and i'm just over
no satisfaction could appease
〰️
but why?
why did you do that?
why did you hold me down
and yell it over
and over
and
over
and
o
v
e
r
a
n
d
〰️
until I wiggled to my escape
and the fucking thing is
My cat's alive
your cruel words
trying to convince me he'd die
that was the end
for me
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
Stream of consciousness, meaning, no edits, just endless thought until it ends. Just the brain doing the things and the fingers floating 'round.
About the Creator
Tanya Lei
A poet, if nothing else.
In a blank space, captivating words flow freely to create something that has not existed before.
From my mind, to yours.
https://www.instagram.com/soulpaintedart/



Comments (4)
The tenderness of your cat amid all that violence is heartbreaking and grounding a small life anchoring you to staying.
😢. You are currently my favorite writer in here. Too many women in my life have been treated like this and as a father it makes me ill knowing that this is a real situation that I need to protect my daughter from.
I hate that so many of us have had similar experiences. I know not all men. I stand by that through and through but damn... the things some of them have done. I am sorry.
Ach this was a difficult reaf but glad you are out the other end. Well done being brave enough to share this.