J counted the numbers
Behind everything she ate.
She checked her hipbones
To see if they poked past her tummy.
If they did, she won.
H stuck a pushpin
Deep in her leg.
Just to look at the blood
To see that she was alive.
D sat in the basement
In front of a screen
In the dark.
The characters moved around
Winning pretend battles.
P sat in the back of the room
The farthest corner.
He picked at the loose skin
On his pink fleshy thumb,
Downcast eyes
Silent tongue.
S lay in bed at night, wanting
Needing to sink down in the bed
To disappear.
Every time she heard a noise
in the hall, just beyond the door
She prayed he’d leave her alone.
N set a fire in the yard
Behind the shed.
Just so somebody would notice.
Then she’d pretend
She didn’t do it.
T snuck some vodka
In his orange juice bottle
On the bus
In the morning.
He didn’t brag about it
Like some kids.
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