A Love Letter Poem by Michael Ashby

Hard hitting headlines,
all the girls went mad
for the stars and boys
for the money and drinks.
Sweat drips from their heads
as heat erases petty mistakes.
You're melting away all alone,
but you've found the punishment
you were craving.
They say it was self
imposed punishment.
I thought it was preparation
for hell.

Millions saw cupid drown.
They watched him drown in
molten lava.
Some saw a child burn
her hand.
I cry at that thought,
that deep down you
and I,
We are still the still
children hiding in photographs
draped along our bedroom
walls.
You lit our house on fire,
swearing
you would only burn
your half.

The audience tip-toes out of
the theater.
No one sees them leave.
No one sees the performance,
but we know
we know the performance went
well.
It ended in flames, but
it danced like fire.
You lived as poetry in
motion so surely you
died in the same
way.
They all
the audience
safely assumes.

I think
you prepared for nothing
your death had no rhythm
it was a sorry sad
meaningless act
performed by a star
who could do
no
wrong.