Glue Trap

The memory of you
is like a glue trap in my mind:
          every now and then,
          another part of me gets stuck.

No matter how hard I wriggle and writhe,
I cannot wrench free
of your memory
as it catches the tiniest pieces of me
          with its ghostly adhesive hold
          that makes my blood run cold.

Your snide digs--
         stuck
Your raging shouts--
         stuck
Your fist in my face--
         stuck

All the brutality,
beatings
and blame…

All the belittling,
shunning
and shame…

You made me crazy each day by degree,
Till I stabbed you to death to set myself free.
And who would have thought my exposed tragedy
Would liberate me by insanity plea.

But this isn’t the happy ending one dreams.
I still wake at night from the sounds of my screams
          as the buried nightmare returns to rise
          with the horror of you that never dies.

My body escaped
your clutches.
It's true.

My mind, alas,
still gets stuck
on you.

You.
You.
Forever you.

The insidious glue trap in my mind.