Never Your Wreck

In my head I am rewriting every story you told me.

You made me promise I would keep them,

But, honey, that was the old me.

And the ink bites the cuts on my palms with jealousy.

You swore I was your winning piece,

Still, you never owned a part of me.

Every street in my hometown makes me think of you.

I said a million little things,

None of them heartfelt or true.

This castle of lies hangs above my head like a nimbus.

Difficult to carry alone,

Easier than imploding Olympus.

And the dust settles on my lapel like little bits of regret.

I shake them off with disgust,

Hoping to erase the day that we met.

In your mind I have your story tattooed on my neck.

You forced me to learn it by heart,

But, honey, I was never your wreck.

-JW