I Tried to Hide From You in the Bottom of a Bottle

I tried to hide from you

in a dark room filled with smoke.

I tried to hide from you

behind the things I put into my body

to animate it every morning

to make it sleep at night.

I tried to think of the last place

you would look for me.

I tried to hide from you in the bottom of a bottle

but that, that is where you found me.

The bottom of that bottle looked a lot like

a dimly-lit room

with a dirty grey carpet

where I lay

like a little boat lost at sea.

When you came in

you lit the room like a sunrise.

I tried to hide my filthy, tear-streaked face

behind hands that still dripped

with my own crimson blood.

I was ashamed

because the once-white dress you gave me

was in tatters from my running.

You looked at me without a hint of disdain.

Your eyes were kind, unassuming

and you reached for me.

But I drew back from your touch.

 “Can’t you see what I’ve done,

what I’ve become?

I screwed up, I spit in your face.

I turned my back on you.

I did everything I swore I’d never do.”

You said, “I love you.”

You picked me up

and carried me out of the mess I made,

your clean white clothes taking on the stains of my shame.

You washed my face, my feet

You called me Princess, Beloved.

You called me Beautiful.