if they say a one-word poem,
i'll write your name...

there’s a strange dance with the past:
blurred visions.
if only i could’ve held on a little longer.
swinging back and forth, faster and dizzier, my sunken eyes can’t erase this hazy torture.

My heart feels like
it's about to shut down
from all the truths
that only I know

People view me
as kind
selfless
heartfelt
with empathy

Yet once they witness
my darker side
this inner demon
that is always
a few steps behind me

Once they see
the ashes and smeared blood
tainted within my mind and heart

I am once again alone
alone to pick up the pieces 
of a love that never was