Parting Ways

A Poem

Photo by Masha Raymers via Pexels

blue was the way you looked at me,
as if i could think i would never be forgotten —
but it was a ruse, a trick, a chess move
all to hide what you really felt.

and i’m finding myself caught in traps
laid out by me, myself, and i —

and i’m finding myself set in patterns
getting unraveled and fit for the taking —

but there’s no way back home
to a place we’ve burned down.

red was the way i kissed your mouth
like i was a drowning man dying for breath —
but it was my lie, my plan, my fault line
all to glimpse what couldn’t be.

and you’re finding yourself caught in games
laid out by me, myself, and i —

and you’re finding yourself set in patterns
getting unknotted and dreamt for the rising —

but there’s no way out now
when we’ve let go again.

white was the way we tried to start over, oh,
as if we could ever fool ourselves into believing
we ever had a chance worth fighting for
when we’ve broken all our shells.