20 Minutes

A short poem about how 20 minutes with someone can mark and change you.

"Touches" by Emma Krenzer

https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/emma-krenzer-sexual-assault-artwork

The last time that I was raped was in fall 2021, which was a lot more traumatizing than my previous sexual assaults. So I recently wrote and performed this about that experience.

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20 Minutes

I washed you

And the salty stain of my tears off

But couldn’t scrub clean

The trace you left on my psyche

Or the bruises blooming

Like sick flowers across my throat

I felt nothing and saw everything

But still unable to face you in your room

Passed out

Still as death

Just moments ago

Making a pass at me

I fought

Then I let you

I stared up past your face

Contorted with pleasure

And blissfully lost

As despair leaked out my eye lids

The darkness—and you—

Enveloped me in a suffocating embrace

I felt everything but saw nothing

Your bed consumed me

I let it

A stranger

You crawled inside my skin

Wore my corpse

I mean my body

And yourself out

Until nothing remained

You took me to bed

And laid me to rest in 20 minutes

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