When the girl

When the girl has gone quiet
ask her
which piece of her screams
which part of her has become witch
has become conjurer
has morphed to keep stillness among the others
she will lie to you
share only that which she has recited thousands of times before
tell them the same story
you will hear all which would tear another up
but she recites it memorized
emotion
has been drained through her finger tips
she has become witch
or lizard
reptile
she has learned to be snake around the sharpest corners
has watched her skin peel off but has not grown
only become dense.

She is heavy now
though her bones are much more visible
her veins
you’ll want to shoot,
remember,
how quickly that switch could turn to on,
as you looked upon her hands
pulsing
thin bones
you found them so beautiful
as she starved
you found her so beautiful
as she starved.

Began to feed herself,
only in your absence,
prepared for your coming back
put weight upon her shoulders
so you could see her strong
but you stole from her
a thief of the truth
you stole from her
pieces of past she held holy
you snatched them
and wondered why again the girl began to cry
only knew
how to leave her broken
hungry
took back any offering of love and called it forced
she chews on old hope now
food
no longer enters a body that has become quiet
her stomach
only exists to hold space
she has not filled it today
it does not complain
maybe it too has forgotten
what it means to be full
satisfied
growing.

She is only snake now
a spine wrapped in fragile skin
watch how she
she sheds it often.