bruised knees

My mother used to tell me that I

was never Worth more than I was

humbly bowed before my vengeful God;

The texture of my bedroom carpet

became permanently pressed into the skin of my knees because

Worthy was the sickly sweet forbidden fruit

that i had never tasted.

Last night, I dreamt that my feet

were cut off above the ankles,

and my knees and elbows were calloused

from dragging me across the eternally hot pavement-

pulling me towards their two

Saviors, lying forever bleeding in the back

of a white pickup truck.

I do not know what it means- but I

still woke up with bruises like I was

just called Beautiful by a sticky Summer night for the first time in my life.