I have tattoos scattered on my body
but I told you on our second date that I had commitment issues.
I guess what I meant to tell you
was that you should not come any closer,
because my heart is on fire.
I’m afraid you will blow up if you kiss me too hard
because the last boy told me I was a
tick-tick-ticking
time bomb.
But you are a man and not so easily scared
so I’ll tell you about the darkness
that made the others cringe and flee.

I will stare you down and find your flaws;
use them against you until I find a reason to leave
or until you beat me to it.
I will crash my ship onto your shore
and blame you for the wreckage.
I will set up camp inside your chest cavity
and let the smoke from my campfire fill your lungs.
I will sketch words into your skin,
I will write things about you,
that you couldn’t possibly believe.
I have demons following me like shadows
and I let them accompany me gratefully.

My heart is on fire
from all the things I have seen,
all the things I have done,
and all the things that have been done to me.
My heart is on fire
and I can simply not resist
lighting you up, too.