yesterday you were here and
today you are gone.

you are an artist
or at least you were.
your actual art was displayed in the half-healed cuts
and the bloodstains on white sweater sleeves
rather than in paint and canvas.

they lowered you into an empty coffin yesterday
your cuffs were buttoned.

i couldn't help but remember all the times you had thrown away the cuff links
displayed your scars and your tattoos and your cigarette burns for the world to see.

you are gone today, my love.

they told me it would hurt
and that I wouldn't know where to turn
they told me it was okay to hurt
they told me it was good you were gone
they told me what you did was a sin
but they never told me that i would feel so completely, so utterly
empty.