vulnerable

i stand before you
take off my clothing
piece by piece
you see my imperfect body
bared to you
its scars and bruises and freckles
stretch marks and moles
not at all vulnerable

i tear open my chest
reveal my pumping heart
in the bloody gaping wound
peel off the suit of my skin
nerves and muscles
nothing
i stand before you
bared
not at all vulnerable

but your knowledge of the invisible
scars and bruises
old wounds scabbed over
scabby wounds unhealed
you see them all
you know where to kick and scratch
and you do
you want nothing of me
take nothing with you when you leave
you see the tears i hide
you cultivate and harvest them
to crush into a sour wine
you later throw into my face
and you laugh
and you laugh

even though i am not prostrated
by your feet
even though i do not beg or plea
i am vulnerable then



7^th February 2007
(edited 24^th July 2008)