The Erosion of a Few

It’s not a plot device
For everyone, childhood
As origin story.

Weirdly, when the damage
Is fully visible,
Literal, physical,

It seems less important.
Suddenly, the psyche
Was shaped by other things.

People like the hidden
Traumatic backstory
That they can ferret out

The way they winkle clues
From favorite fictions.
No one wants to see scars

So large an imbecile
Could trace each cicatrice.
They want to prove themselves

Insightful detectives.
It rather spoils the fun
To erode in plain view.