I wrapped you around my heart like a vise
Just tight enough to hurt
Both a balm and a shield
To protect me from the world;
A comfortable crutch
To hold me up
When I could not, for myself,
Find a rod to support my bones.
You were my guardian  
And my sword in a time of war
Cutting away any pain
That may have come too close.

I might have believed your implied word
Your unspoken promise to stay
But for the sting of blood and bone I felt
The moment you pulled away
Leaving an exposed wound
From which my pain could seep.

I suppose I should have earlier
Realized my mistake-
Perhaps it would’ve saved me
From the **** you left behind.
That you were not a shield, no
Protection
For the weak.
You were a bandaid, only
Protecting the infection inside.

Now I walk around
With a heart left to fester
A giant leaking wound which
Only I can see
And every time I’ve tried
To find a balm, even a bandaid
I remember the gaping hole
That you left inside me.