She made me touch her in bad places.
It didn’t hurt me, though. But she said
if I told, she’d make me be sorry.
A MEMORY SLAMS INTO ME
A different room.
A different house.
A different town.
I was young.
I was small.
I was afraid.
He was big.
He was strong.
He was supposed
to keep me safe.
No one saw when
he came to me,
put his hand over
my mouth, and said,
If you tell, I’ll make
you sorry. Understand?
He was all over me.
He was on top of me.
He was inside me.
I never told.
I never screamed.
I never healed.
A different night.
A different place.
A different girl.
I NEVER TOLD