I Weathered the Storm, but You Weathered Me

by Rachel Kelly

Tornado Watch, guess I wasn’t watching close enough

  The wind chills me to the core,

  Because you don’t live there anymore,

  The veins in my heart are freezing,

  ‘Cause they’re no longer pumping for our screaming,

  Like a tornado you swept me up,

  Swinging me wildly amongst the chaos,

  The wind whipping the hair about my face,

  I remember how you used to play with it that way,

  My screams drowned out in your noise,

  My body wracked with sobs that won’t come out,

  Every second felt like hours but then you left,

  And I dropped on the ground broken and spent,

  Wounds gaping open like my mouth,

  Trying to find the words to say – but they won’t come out,

  Bruises blossoming in places where

  Your mouth used to find sole company,

  Bones aching in ways that remind me

  Of our synchronized moments of harmony,

  Before your storm swept in and stole the life

  Out of me

  --

  Reckless and brave, but mostly young

  We were reckless,

  We were young,

  We were barely eighteen,

  Still a little green

  And so unafraid of the world.

  We took a drive

  To that old spot,

  And pulled over

  So things got hot.

  Devilish grins

  Hiding under full lashes

  And fresh skin,

  Hands exploring places

  That we’d been told about

  But had yet to visit.

  I took a deep breath

  And let you in.

  We were reckless,

  We were young,

  But mostly just in love

  --

  They deserve better, and you need to stop telling them they don’t

  They said

  “You deserve better”

  Like that was

  Easy

  To realize

  They said

  “You’re too pretty to be sad”

  But what, dare I ask,

  Connects appearance

  With feelings?

  They said

  “But you have a nice smile”

  And I cried for all

  The people who lost theirs

  Because of society

  Because of brokenness

  Because the last light

  Blew out

  Because they weren’t told

  What they were desperate to hear

  And they deserve better than that

  --

  I’m a stained glass window missing the entire spectrum of colours

  Tall trees on either side,

  Encroaching on us in the dark,

  I lean in, needing your warmth,

  Needing the reassurance of your body,

  I whisper come closer

  And you do as I ask,

  Saving my life from that first night

  I wish I could thank you

  But my voice disappeared in the

  Depths of the forest,

  I spent a lot of time wondering

  Where I left that piece of me,

  And I’ve finally realized

  It had to have been that night,

  Because ever since –

  I’ve been filling that emptiness

  With you.

  --

  Talented With Flames

  I put on that sweater

  From all those weeks ago,

  The mild smokiness drifts

  Up from it, reminding me

  Of the fire you built.

  You always were good at that,

  Creating flames,

  Warming me up,

  Burning what was left behind.

  --

  Words We Need to Say More Often (and less)

  I miss you

  I’m sorry

  I messed up

  I forgive you

  I can’t do this anymore

  I love you

  --

  My trophy case is empty and so is my pride

  My greatest fear

  Is, and always will be,

  That of mediocrity.

  I have yet to see brilliance

  And average in the same instance,

  As brilliance always outshines average

  And there is no shame in

  Being average,

  But there is no glory there either.

  --

  Perfectly (in rhyme and in world)

  If we lived in a perfect world where everyone fit perfectly,

  Wouldn’t you wonder who each one of us would be?

  Probably someone else,

  That was just like everybody else.

  Someone you wished you knew,

  That knew every answer or every clue?

  Questions would no longer be asked,

  Races wouldn’t be timed, we’re all too fast.

  There would be no need to compete,

  No one would have anyone to beat.

  We’d all be the same,

  Walking around, acting lame.

  Do you know how boring that would be?

  Everyone around, acting like me?

  Wouldn’t that scare you? Give you the creeps?

  You’re stuck in a body like everyone else, for keeps.

  Everyone knew the same things as you,

  You’d miss the different and the diversity, too.

  It’s a good thing we don’t live perfectly,

  Because, how much fun would that be?

  --

  Spilled milk, spilled tears

  I’ve spent too long

  Crying over spilled milk

  And broken boys –

  So if you need saving,

  You knocked on the wrong door

  --

  Reverence

  I screamed my silence at you,

  You breathed words at me,

  Where is your reverence?

  I wondered.

  You replied,

  “I’m looking at it”

  --

  It’s the reason for my frost-bitten hands

  Nostalgia chills me to the bone,

  Seeps into my flesh,

  Permeates through my muscles,

  The muscles that are already sore

  From running through my memories

  And despite the wear that the past

  Has evidently created on my body

  I cannot walk away from it –

  Not just yet

  --

  Reflections

  I tend to forget what my face looks like,

  Bear no remembrance of who others see,

  Looking in a mirror is all I can do to help

  And then it’s like familiarizing

  Myself with an old friend,

  Oh, yes, I remember you now,

  Brown hair,

  Blue eyes,

  Hopeful smile,

  I’ve seen you before once or twice,

  Haven’t I?

  --