Bone Marrow by Holly Shawhan

I search my bone marrow
For traces of the venom
That has depleted me.

Where are you?

I loved the familiarity of the pain
That I now can no longer locate.
Seeping out through
The ink of my pen
Absorbed in these preceding pages.

Sweat out like a fever
Exhausted
Exsanguinated
Lifeless peace
I have exorcized you

I probe the hole where once you occupied
Like a tongue feeling the gum line
After a root canal
Painless chasm

Memory as an absence

Had I known that these words
Would exhume you from my tomb

Would I have had the courage
To ever put pen to pad?

Words by Holly Shawhan

Photography by Stephen Smith, follow him@iamstephensmith on Instagram

Model is Mariah Makalapua wearing her own jewelry creation (follow her @medicine.collective on Instagram):

And wearing Siobhan Barrett lingerie:

Lovers