a razor-sharp broken promise,
serrated enough to hold to your throat
halting desires in the sand wrecked world
we created under the stage trap door
from the wings you sail in, i don't know
about your expectations but i have
nothing left to give

paint a picture for you, as desolate as
we are now, the sayings i thought so charming
seem cheap now, platitudes you spout
with grasping hands, you forgave me for
your indiscretion, i saved her lipstick and
wore it on days when you wanted more

you said you didn't want money, you didn't
want beauty, you didn't want brilliance, you just
wanted to be loved, so i gave away all those things
and the next thing i know, there's a wasp in
our bed, with her arched back and smeared eyeliner
scorn, she said, that was all she would ever say
so i took her from us and you called me dangerous
you didn't want dangerous, you wanted a wife

she's your comfort and i'm your cyanide
that's all i've ever been, too dark too strange
with ink smeared arms and back, foreign
languages on my skin, but you thought
you could save me? don't flatter yourself
i will never be your persephone

honey, you don't need to pick and choose
i've made your decision for you.

I. Don't. Want. You.

don't look at me like that.

you could never stay solitary, safe in your skin
so i've broken the code, shattered the frozen roses,
icy-pale carved frost flowers, the snow outside is
warmer than your love, so now i'm one of those girls
who spit that word like it's a curse, embittered
until the right man comes along, she's only waiting
for broad shoulders and blue? brown? eyes to
make her all better, like this hatred is a phase
you can fuck me and fix me? or i can ruin you?
just use that boyish charm to make me better
don't you dare pretend, i want you to understand:
it will never. get. better.