how do i tell the world i'm hurting by Amy (15, Australia)

[content warning: self-harm]

i want to cut open this skin, tear it apart with my bare hands
trace my fingers along        a coursing river 
as i command it to stop.              stop flowing. stop running on and on and on stop
giving me life stop            making me feel this way stop 
beating.                 (for me). 
the earth opens its eyes           somehow, it’s brighter down there
than the heavy lidded             sky. 
open                  up. 

---

if this skin will not give way             i will hollow out her cheeks 
and lay there for                the rest of eternity. 
i’ll give you                 five cents to build a plaque 
that holds my name               sixty cents to keep my 
secrets                  seven dollars to 
forget                me. 
open    up! 
but all i can do is dig               scratch at the 
earth              skin 
i must           mustn’t 
stop          stop 
but if i don’t cut,               is my pain still valid? 
oh,         please 
tell             me. 
what do i do         to           tell the world 
i’m hurting?​