Shame
I cannot escape shame
it crawls from the edges of my nails
and settles into my skin
like a woolen blanket for a dollhouse.
I swallow it with every bite
like poison in Snow White’s apple.
So I clean and tidy and dust
every lonely corner and
buy new groceries and
put the duvet in the wash
and never ask for anything
only to be left with nothing
to do except make a mess of it all
the shame residing comfortably
shamelessly.
