Closets
Twelve
TW for incest/childhood sexual assault

I’ve never been one to hide my queerness.
Nor my heathen faith

I understand the safety many find within closets
How hiding themselves away from the world prevents injury,
Wrapping up in the comfort of conformity

I, too, escaped abuse in hiding.
I spent a childhood peeing on old clothing
In the back of your bedroom closet
Trying to avoid walking past my father’s hungry hands
Sneaking the soiled pieces away as best I could so young
While he spoiled the best of me
Year after year

But closets only served to reinforce the shame
And he was going to take from my innocence
regardless of where I tried to hide it.

So I’ve never been one to hide myself away
How could I imitate conformity
When closets never protected me to begin with?