don't eat the pith
she always told me
but as a child I ate the world
and don't we all? I can only find the tender marrow
once I get through bone.
I wanted to taste bitterness
along with the sweet
let my tongue struggle
as it all caught in my teeth
my hands clawing at the things
that were wrong, always
cutting my waistband for being too tight
burning labels off
sneaking out of my room
so boys could tell me I was strange
for craving solace in graveyards at night
I would scrape my knees
on the gravel at gravestones
and use my nails to pick
the hard skin off my fingers
praying, praying
to find where my softness lies.
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