Barnacles - Laura Stevenson

Scrape these barnacles

I am whole again

Finally purified or whatever that means

Put your back in it

They laid their roots deep within the pain

Free me, free me

From their teeth

Oh, but don’t cut too deep

Scrape these barnacles

I am utterly yours

Take my lack of control and swallow it whole

Break my excuses to leave over your bony knees

And scrub the sweat away

Make me clean

Please pull the bad dreams out of me

Scrape these barnacles

I am utterly yours

Take my lack of control and swallow it whole

Break my excuses to leave over your bony knees

And free me, free me, free me, free me

I am utterly yours