Kneel or Burn

When you left,
the sky cried

It’s tears flooded my room,
and I hid under my bed
and closed my eyes shut.

After the storm passed
and the windows stopped shuddering,
I crawled out;
My face grimy from the dried tears.

I got drunk that night,
but the vodka’s bitterness
reminded me too much of you

I stumbled into the bathroom
and my smeared makeup
reminded me of you

I crawled out into the open
and the night sky
reminded me of your storm

But if you thought this story
was about you,
You’re wrong.

I gave you all,
and you gave me pain.
So now I’ll hunt your hiding places down,
And I’ll set them up in flames.

Because neither of us
deserved what we got.
You didn’t deserve me.
And I, you.

But you should’ve known better
than to play games with a girl
who’s been playing for so much longer.

Holy water couldn’t put the fire
that I’m about to start out.
It’s made home in me
for far too long now.
No flood you bring will help you now.
The flames will just spread,
flapping, begging, praying –
for you.