you have distorted me

left me unfamiliar,

and trapped me in this new mind –

this foreign body i no longer know,

childish cold and cut.

i don't trust these hands;

my palms are cold to the touch

where they have healed the brands of your fingerprints,

such sad and pale and scarless skin.

when the sun is up, i can be brave -

and around the dry edges of my lips i can still breathe

but at night

i just miss you,

in this desperate way -