I pick at my face

Poking and playing

Kneading and prodding

Squeezing and popping

In the mirror, I look with shame

Holes dig infinitely under my skin

But bumps peep out and look back at me

Impurities and impulses

My skin flush with acne

My nails rigid and imperfect

They’re begging to be perfect

So I’ll tear at my pores,

So I’ll crunch on my nails,

So I’ll hurt my precious face,

But not for my vanity

I’ll spend hours in the mirror

I’ll spend hours gnawing at my hands

I know I am ruining it all

But there is always work to be done

My own body fighting against me

Too many textures and feelings

I poke it all out

I rip it all off

I chew on all that’s left

There is nothing left

Biography

My name is Anna, I’m a freshman, and I like to draw and sing in my free time.

What is your main source of inspiration?

My main source of inspiration was from my interest in psychology, and I drew a lot of inspiration from personal experiences and first hand accounts as well.

What motivated you to write this piece, and what is its message?

I wrote this piece to provide to others an insight on this mental illness and to show how someone’s internal conscience may sound if they have dermatillomania.