honorable mention
Sterling Mills
Photo © Sterling Mills
title
Flowers in the Attic
you think they're a safe space
and show the ugliest parts of yourself,
only for them to turn around and use it against you.
what's safe anymore?
how do you distinguish the difference?
how do you trust?
when do you pull back or move forward?
you give and give so many parts of yourself
to only have your light fade…
wilt-
just as the flowers will when they are left in the attic.
they think revealing emotions shows signs of weakness-
“you did me wrong”
but where’s your credit?
credit for all the hearts you’ve healed
credit for all the sacrifices you made
credit for all the bridges you burned
because their happiness meant more
well-
fuck. that.
but why would I ever give anything less than love
why would I ever conform to a world that’s already
filled with so much hate
so much anger
throwing words around that are laced with venom
but disguised in good intent...
but that’s you
always taking the easy way out
it’s easier to hate,
" I don’t care about you"
"I never did"
well-
I love you
and I meant it
what a distorted definition of love you have for me
I tell myself I won’t let them in
you can’t, you’ve learned
every.time. I tell myself “it gets easier”
but it doesn’t,
it never gets easier
to carry around such a fragile heart,
a heavy fucking heart
with so much love to give..
so much trust
trust
it's a funny thing isn't it?
our foundation-
our everything-
gone
but, there you go.
soon I'll be forgotten
and I'll climb down these attic stairs-
leaving you with the flowers.
something that started so beautiful,
left to die.
back to gallery
entry description
Flowers in the Attic- A Self Portraityou think they're a safe space
and show the ugliest parts of yourself,
only for them to turn around and use it against you.
what's safe anymore?
how do you distinguish the difference?
how do you trust?
when do you pull back or move forward?
you give and give so many parts of yourself
to only have your light fade…
wilt-
just as the flowers will when they are left in the attic.
they think revealing emotions shows signs of weakness-
“you did me wrong”
but where’s your credit?
credit for all the hearts you’ve healed
credit for all the sacrifices you made
credit for all the bridges you burned
because their happiness meant more
well-
fuck. that.
but why would I ever give anything less than love
why would I ever conform to a world that’s already
filled with so much hate
so much anger
throwing words around that are laced with venom
but disguised in good intent...
but that’s you
always taking the easy way out
it’s easier to hate,
" I don’t care about you"
"I never did"
well-
I love you
and I meant it
what a distorted definition of love you have for me
I tell myself I won’t let them in
you can’t, you’ve learned
every.time. I tell myself “it gets easier”
but it doesn’t,
it never gets easier
to carry around such a fragile heart,
a heavy fucking heart
with so much love to give..
so much trust
trust
it's a funny thing isn't it?
our foundation-
our everything-
gone
but, there you go.
soon I'll be forgotten
and I'll climb down these attic stairs-
leaving you with the flowers.
something that started so beautiful,
left to die.
back to gallery
