monster scars

I don't mind
getting down in the bad. I've found,
it often isn't there. The worst
we assume, interpret, avoid
- just ghost and monster stories
we tell ourselves, so we'll

behave. And not find out
who the real monsters are. Us!
Such good monsters, usually
if we stoop and poke enough
and dare enough to really know.

If we cease to fear the gnash
of fangs, the protruding claws
- unseen behind pleasant faces,
unseen and presumed retractable
into seeming kind hands, trying
too hard to look pleasant

and good. We try so well
it's the least we can do
not to investigate. So we shirk
away wincing, declare off-limits
everything that comes to notice,
and agree not to expose
the worst we are
- the worst we know others to be
- we are always at our worst
not knowing. In doubt, in suspicion
in gratitude over not having
to look into it. Over having
been spared that facing
of worst.
I don't mind

getting down in the bad.

It's usually no worse than we think,
and
we can compare scars.