The Morning After
Anonymous
It is 4:32 A.M., and it is the morning after
She takes inventory
Her neck has been littered with mottled roses
Her thighs have been painted with dried shame
Her eyes have been tattooed with the memory of
Hands
It is the morning after
And she wonders how much soap it will take
To wash away his hands
Yanking on her hair, forcing her to swallow
How much water it will take
To wash away his hands
Pushing down her hips, forcing her to open
How many hours of standing, naked, in the shower, it will take
To wash away his hands
Clawing at her lips, forcing her to say yes
She said no
But no did not mean no to him
And he forced her to say yes and
She hates herself for it
She wonders how much
Goddammit who is she kidding?
The answer is
No
The answer is
There are not enough
The answer is
There will never be enough
Because there will never be enough soap
There will never be enough water
There will never be enough to wash away his hands and
The answer is no
Because he asked, and her answer was no and
He stopped asking.
It is the morning after
And a young woman has been fucked into a girl again.
Close your eyes.
If you have ever heard the words
“This will be our little secret”
Open your eyes
If you have ever heard the words
“Don't pretend you didn't want it”
Open your eyes
If you have ever heard the words
“No one will ever love you like I do”
Open your eyes
If your eyes are still closed
Then you haven't been listening
Because you have heard these words before
You have heard these words crooned to those who in another life
Were your mother, your father
Your sister, your brother
Your son, your daughter
You have heard these words whispered to those who in another life
Were you.
When did it it become normal?
To simply turn away as women become warm bodies used at night?
It is the morning after
And it will be the morning after tomorrow
And the day after tomorrow
And the day after the day after tomorrow
It will always be the morning after
And there will never be enough soap
And there will never be enough water
And there will never be enough
To wash away the morning after.
She takes inventory
Her neck has been littered with mottled roses
Her thighs have been painted with dried shame
Her eyes have been tattooed with the memory of
Hands
It is the morning after
And she wonders how much soap it will take
To wash away his hands
Yanking on her hair, forcing her to swallow
How much water it will take
To wash away his hands
Pushing down her hips, forcing her to open
How many hours of standing, naked, in the shower, it will take
To wash away his hands
Clawing at her lips, forcing her to say yes
She said no
But no did not mean no to him
And he forced her to say yes and
She hates herself for it
She wonders how much
Goddammit who is she kidding?
The answer is
No
The answer is
There are not enough
The answer is
There will never be enough
Because there will never be enough soap
There will never be enough water
There will never be enough to wash away his hands and
The answer is no
Because he asked, and her answer was no and
He stopped asking.
It is the morning after
And a young woman has been fucked into a girl again.
Close your eyes.
If you have ever heard the words
“This will be our little secret”
Open your eyes
If you have ever heard the words
“Don't pretend you didn't want it”
Open your eyes
If you have ever heard the words
“No one will ever love you like I do”
Open your eyes
If your eyes are still closed
Then you haven't been listening
Because you have heard these words before
You have heard these words crooned to those who in another life
Were your mother, your father
Your sister, your brother
Your son, your daughter
You have heard these words whispered to those who in another life
Were you.
When did it it become normal?
To simply turn away as women become warm bodies used at night?
It is the morning after
And it will be the morning after tomorrow
And the day after tomorrow
And the day after the day after tomorrow
It will always be the morning after
And there will never be enough soap
And there will never be enough water
And there will never be enough
To wash away the morning after.