there was a silly girl
who didn't see
the mistake she made
by trusting me
she gave her heart
she gave her all
and I tripped her up
just to watch her fall
I felt big by
making her small
used sarcasm and anger
kept her back to the wall
I didn't listen
I didn't see
that she stopped loving
wanted only to be free
now I’m sorry
but it comes too late
for too long I sowed meanness
and now I reap her hate
©️2023 jai
Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay
wrapped tightly
in rusty barbed wire
the caged heart beats
listless and erratic
an out-of-time clock…
tick-tock
cruel thorns stab
draws tainted blood
that drips poisonous and black
down constricted ribs
forged by shame and blame…
plop-plop
©️2023 jai
Image by Birgit Röhrs from Pixabay
she’s not good enough someone told her so dripped poison in her ear a long time ago the mirror confirms shows dull frizzy hair a nose too long ugly body when bare the paper confirms when she scrawls with pen mediocre writing no contest it’d win the past confirms no good deeds done no sacrifices made no battles won the present confirms a dull empty life no one’s darling no one’s wife the future confirms what she already knows nothing will change down that long dark road ©2023 jai
Image by Mandy Fontana from Pixabay
On the Fringe of Darkness 