Snakeskin by Emmanuella Demosthenes

Snakeskin

You are not a snake.
You are simply a woman, living in skin that you cannot shed
Each time that you pick, it makes me want to grab your hands
Break your fingers,
Dislodge them from your knuckles 
So I can replace them with cotton,
Or peaches, or something so baby-soft
That you aren’t able to pick your precious skin again

I know I cannot ease this pain you feel
This ever-present urge to pick
But I hope that I can offer you a reason to stay
Or a place to hold your pain

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Emmanuella is a poet based in North Central Massachusetts.  Her work can be found in Route 2 and Kalyani Magazine.