After That Poem by Maya Hanson

One of us was innocent.
It was the only thing
I knew

Closing in
you choke
me

My stomach
falls, leaving
dust behind

A crash in the
sky, it lights
as fast as fire

And you don’t smile.

This confuses me.
My mind muddled
in a million memories,
I’m buried deep
And I remember
you smiling.

Aren’t you supposed to smile?

But you leave my
questions unanswered
I’m falling
flailing
flying through a mist

Where you linger
ever longer,
we’re even stronger
than before

But a tiger with its back to me
was suddenly transformed
It turned around
claws outstretched
Ready to snatch my soul
Snarling a reality
straight into my face

Without any warning
the monster appeared
I tell myself
I should have known…

A Venus flytrap
Enticing me
Turned on me at the
last moment

A flower, faking its rainbow
finally faded to
crackling coals
Needless to say
They don’t keep me warm
anymore.

I grew up fast.
After that.