i didn’t like who i was
when i was with you.
tethered like an anchor
dragging me
beneath the sea.

i tried so hard
to convince myself
that your cruelty was
just temporary,
but you didn’t care
that i was drowning,
that couldn’t even breathe.

       — ruled by mercury

it’s 10pm,
and it’s cold outside.

you tell me,
“your feet are cold”

and I watch as you
gently wrap them
in a warm blanket.

you tap my bundled feet and say,
“better?”
then you kiss my forehead.

my heart swells,
and warmth floods my chest.

my feet are cold,
but your love lingers softly,
a warmth that is constant.

- so this is what gentle love feels like
                               - ruled by mercury

i thought it would be difficult
for me to walk away,
but in truth,
i was already grieving.

— the loss of myself
                — ruled by mercury

and so, i built a home
inside the spaces
of your heart,
and you transformed it
into a monument,
carving my name
into its walls.

       - ruled by mercury

and i’m sorry
for being so critical.
i’m sorry
for wishing you were
someone else.
i’m sorry
for not treating you
with the care
you deserve.

i realise now,
you’re perfect,
just the way you are.

and i promise
to love you better.

- to the girl in the mirror
          - ruled by mercury

i love seeing you smile,
they way it reaches your eyes
and makes them sparkle—

an elliptical galaxy.

oh, how lucky i am
to observe the magic
of constellations,
even under the sun.

      - ruled by mercury

you don’t scold
the moon
when it isn’t
at its fullest—
you admire it
anyway.

please hold
that kindness
and extend it to
every phase
of you.

- ruled by mercury

so i broke free,
and slowly,
the weight of you lifted,
allowing my lungs
to breathe.

      — ruled by mercury