i’ve been wrong; succumbing to others
living inside the eyes of strangers
forgetting names outside periphery
trading charades for new addictions
one part of me grows resilient
as the rest of me grows distant
kept my eyes shut through every conversation
all to beg you to love someone different
i swallowed down the broken teeth
but kept the blood warm under tongue
left a quiet space for you to leave well enough alone
sharing bodies worn in stolen clothes
it’s unfair; the way i miss what was never there
better off the faultless victim
still drowning coins in fountains
diluting waters of responsibility’s rest
erase the taste from memory
it hurts less now because they fuck me different
i want to forgive until the guilt is shivering
but I will keep my silence until it’s all that’s missing
/// 