issue 3
october 2015
The Beginning - Carmen Penny
They exchange high fives with him
while my stomach turns.
It wasn't what I expected at all.
Nobody told me it wasn't normal to cry.
They brush against me
and comment on the softness of my skin.
I don't mention the water running cold as I scrub till I'm raw.
He still smells of dollar cologne and aftershave.
My flesh is decorated red and purple.
Nobody told me I couldn't cut away the feeling of his hands.
Contributor's Note
I’m a 21 year old mother who is in the first year of my Bachelor. I’m majoring in Psychology, Sociology & English. I have always had a passion for writing and the arts in general. I think that art helps to change the way that people think, and helps to express how people feel.