Collateral Damage

A Poem

Photo by Nikolina: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hands-of-couple-connected-with-red-string-11581701/

wine-heavy lids, casual lies,
a gasp of whiskey breath,
such trepidation in so little —
oh, we’re falling faster and faster

numb lips, bruised promises,
a hitch of nylon touches,
the cost of bed-sheet blights —
oh, we’re sinking lower and lower

your trigger mouth,
my heart’s arsenal —
we’re weapons in each other’s hands,
and where can we hope to go from here?

your kiss of death,
my hollow worth —
we met in the darkest places there were
just so we could find the lengths we’d go

we were never meant to last —
oh no, no, no, no —
and there were spirits heavier
than the hourglass between us

we were never a taste of forever —
oh, heaven forbid, heaven forbid —
but the devils inside us danced, gleeful,
just to have a new partner in crime