Lessons Learned

He’s teaching her self-hatred.

But she had already made the scars into an art form long before he claimed her.

III

He’s teaching her tough love (no love).

Bitch he said and then three months of silence.

III

He’s teaching her (im)patience.

A year has never seemed so long, or so short.

III

He’s teaching her denial.

She’s never been kissed; she’s never been loved; she’s never been broken.

III

But all she’s learning is insanity.

He loves her, he hates her-

she can’t have it both ways but

there are two sides to everything so surely

if he can hate her this way then

he can love her, too.