Bloodshot fractures
   underneath her skin,
Cracking from inside
   breaking her within—

A thousand hairlines
     tearing her apart,
   draining away all her promises…

—unheard, unfelt, unseen—

Much like the beatings of her heart.

They were saline lips,
The lips I’ve been kissing,
Drier than the driest lips,
   stealing all my love…

     —all the long stemmed roses
    Even her warmth, missing…

   So different,
      From our start.

Then, they used to sparkle,
Then, they used to shine
     her lovely velvet lips
   painting crimson mine.

I used to adore that smile,
I used to love that laughter,
     Redder than blood—

   —No hue was ever better.
Until I saw that color,
     on the lips of another man—

And now she lays,
   kissing my shoes on the floor…

And as I lean toward her face—

        —finally,

   her lips are blood red once more.