instead she searches between my lines
for evidence of damage
mother, please don’t cry
when she says I am broken
it takes years to stop shaking when I hold a tampon
to swallow the disgust of touching my own body
mother, grant me privacy
turn away from my perforated edge
where I am torn in half
Chelsea Campbell is an aspiring poet and treasure hunter from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She teaches composition and literature at the University of South Dakota while she pursues a master’s degree in English. In her spare time, she enjoys writing poetry, admiring her plants, and going on bike rides. You can find her on Twitter @trashpers0n. This is her first publication.