Atelophophia
I had a minor habit where I
Chewed and chewed on my fingernails.
Continuously until red flower petals bloomed on my fingertips.
My nails irritated me every time I looked at them.
I wanted so badly to get rid of the
disgustingly sharp teeth at the edge of my fingernails.
Like an itch that won't go away, they constantly lingered in my mind.
They stared at me,
Begging and begging me to help them become more beautiful.
The idea ate away at me until I finally took the courage to bite it back.
And it made me happy to admire the
pretty purples and romantic reds that painted my fingertips.
I fell deeper and deeper into the abyss.
I tried to crawl back up, find a way out, but I couldn’t.
My fingers no longer had any grip.
I yearned for perfection, so I bit them more.
I bit them until they got smoother and smoother,
And eventually until there was nothing left.
I am still satisfied even though my fingers constantly feel numb
because now there is nothing stopping me.
Now I can’t feel them as they weep.
Copyright © Valerie Tran | Year Posted 2019
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