Paper is a poem written by Reuben Abrogar and shared with The Ugly Writers under the theme Terrible Ideas for the month of July.

Paper

Back in high school, I was deemed as a walking paper, whenever someone scratches my skin lightly it would mark my flesh as if red ink has passed by leaving its words

Dermatographia, as they say, it is the condition that is skin writing
Where a lot of your classmates would draw penises on your cheek as a joke
Dermatographia, as they say, is the condition that is skin writing
Where your mother’s hand would mark your face as she slaps you for not doing well enough
Dermatographia as they say it is the condition that is tattooing but you won’t hear disappointed people overlooking that tattoos are a permanent mistake even though it’s art
Dermatographia, as they say, it.
I’ve had it since the day I could remember,
It’s like a curse that attracts the attention of those that wants to see the magic as the pain gets inflicted onto my skin, so does the markings that appear and fades after a few,
A walking paper, a boy who doesn’t know better
Paper
And maybe I loved being a paper too much that I’ve overshadowed the fact that I am human
I see myself as a canvas that can be improved with the writings of men,
The writings of one’s self
Paper, I see my skin as paper but somehow the ink seems a little redder
Paper, the ink that comes from within has now marked my bed
Paper, maybe I’ve become too much of a paper that all I see is red
Paper, the pain makes it seem that I am not becoming better
Paper
Because I am a walking paper, forever attracted to the pain that causes my ink to leak
I am addicted, I am okay
I am okay
I am okay
Or am I?

Give some love to Reuben Abrogar by reading his previous entries at The Ugly Writers.