it felt like i hadn’t showered

in years

i was covered head to toe

in thick black slime

 

but finally scrubbing you

off of my skin

until I was raw

out from under my nails

until they were bleeding

off of my face

until I was weeping

out of my hair

until I was ripping it out

off of every area that your hands had

lingered

for far too long

 

scrubbed it

out of my bathtub and

away from my fucking life—

 

i sobbed

not for the grip

nor the grime

but because neither had a hold of me

anymore