salvage

i wept in the shower this morning
huddled beneath
the cleansing beat of hot water
my tears washed down the drain
washed away
as i wept for the child i once was
and who she might have been
if not for

sometimes when a fracture has healed
wrong
when a septic wound has crusted over
still toxic within
there must be a rending
scars ripped open
bones rebroken
tissue cut away
poison lanced and leeched
to cleanse what remains

so i weep
and begin
with halting words
and catching breath
to tell my story
and hope
the tears will wash the pain away