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.