You never could protect me
and I put every bit
of hope in you
But you never could just love me
simply, truly, without condition
I'd suffer just to make you smile
and I could waste time remembering
every time my heart cracked how, when, and why
I let you build a room there
and explore each chipped piece
til I reluctantly shed my skin
and gave you permission
to burrow on in
though I sensed
several faces
and smelled a familiar
stench
it couldn't stop
magnetism
Afterward, time stretched
my imprint fades
into faint blurs
and your hate
still aims to
steal my laughter