sunset

take down the sunset a layer after another

until you reach a plain white sky

and i’ll tell you a story before i leave

while i sit in the middle of the asphalt road

hoping the next car won’t brake in time

i’ll tell you why everything has changed

take down the orange dripping out

like sunlit honey spilled from a glass jar

fireplace made of stone glowing warmth

wooden cabin floors in autumn leaves

the same color as her nail polish

and the last thing i saw before

she grasped my throat and held down

acrylic nails ripping me inside out

string lights wrapped around my neck

her eyes piercing what was left of me

take down the red burning the sky to dust

an illusion of fireworks exploding in the air

soft like rose petals fallen to the ground

tasted of ripe raspberries and velvet wine

like scratches hidden under my clothes

from fractured tips of her sharp nails

fresh blood seeping out from her touch

maroon fingerprints across pale skin

old scars and new cuts merged into one

colored by the edge of a stained blade

take down the pink blush snuggled in

sweet pastel swirls of a cotton candy

like cherry blossoms falling on the grass

juices dripping from soft fuzzy peaches

sticky lipstick stains she left on my body

tasted like copper and rust and bubblegum

the flavors on my tongue she has ruined

and memories i could never wash away

her drunken teeth against my paper skin

until my body wasn’t mine anymore

take down the last purple in the barren sky

neon lights and a pitcher of lavender paint

lilac wings of a butterfly caught in sunlight

pastel constellations that once held dreams

i think purple was her favorite color

and that was why she had to cover me

with bruises across my broken body

and you’ll find my lips in that ghastly tone

when i drown myself in a bathtub hearing

my favorite songs fade out one last time

take down the sunset a layer after another

until you reach a plain white sky

she gave me a million reasons to leave

when she was the one that made me stay

and now i think you know why

why i flinch at the sight of every color

- deathetix