There Was a Fire

A glimpse into a moment of heart break before it quickly passes.

I drove by your old house.
He wasn't lying it was nothing but boarded windows and spray painted abandonment.
Old toys sprawled about the yard the grass lay in thick brown gobs.
Cinder and soot were the memories I once created there with you.

The walls could no longer speak of the nights we waited up,
Smiling hopelessly at the thought of sleep.
Never to come though it tickled out eyelashes.
We were too close to losing that moment.

Forcing our eyes awake to binge on the last ounce of nostalgia.
And now nothing.
Up in smoke went your grandfather's hand carved wooden bench,
The bed we once laid intertwined in,
The couch we spent countless hours talking on.

There was nothing left.
Such a feeling swelled in my chest.
Someone had tried to scribble out my memory,
Start over.

Even with the house gone and the physical memories charred to nothing you still felt like the word undone.
It had been months since we'd spoken and probably years before it ever happened again.
It was too late for apologies and there was no more forgiveness where it once ran deep.

I left my mark on your heart and she'll always hate me for it.
Never mind you went along with the scorched earth method, you will always look into her eyes and look for me.
She will always lack where I once was.
Never be as beautiful in your arms.

And for that you will always hate yourself for letting go the way you did.
It will always hurt you to think of me.
My gentle touch caressing someone else's face.
Sprinkling kisses like powered sugar down his back instead of yours.

We both knew it didn't matter how deep you locked me away.
There would always be times when you would still by your lonesome and flip though the Polaroid memories,
That were once you and me.