Old Flames

It's been a couple of years now,
The fire's heat we can no longer feel.
I thought we could see past the smoke,
And walk away with just burns that would heal

I see you around from time to time,
Even ask others about how you've been.
Forgiveness found its way to my heart,
And I thought maybe we'd be friends again.

But I made the grave mistake
Of revisiting that old place from the past.
And I found you have been there too
And it's clear that it won't be your last.

There is leftover bitterness in your soul,
Clinging to your bones like smoke does to wood.
You've fanned the flames to rekindle the fire
Knowing I'd burn in the place where I stood.

If time erases the pain and the hurt,
It sure missed its mark with you.
Keep playing with fire and you'll burn again,
Until you grow tired of what the scars will do.

One day you'll look at yourself in the mirror,
And won't recognize the person you'll see.
But it won't be too late to let it all go,
I'll forgive you still and beside you I'll be.

03.14.16
©Kerri L. Stanley

Whatever You Say

The hands of time keep pushing us forward
But in reality I'm stuck in the past.
You will tell me my vision is blurring the truth
Your undying love you'll hold fast.

What you say can never be what you really mean;
The color of love is not green.
So I stand here before you weak at the knees
And I tell you what it is you can't see.

REFRAIN
Dreams that will never become memories,
Or things that stay broken too long.
Hypocrisy bulging from your back pocket,
All the rights that keep staying as wrongs.

Below average should be good enough,
All that you want you think I do, too.
What I don't have I can't use for leverage,
And I crumble, feeling just like a fool.

The clock still passes our time.
Day in and day out, we survive.
Soon another season will come to an end,
And we will step into another, again with no end.

What I say can never be what you want it to mean;
The color blue is easy to see.
You'll stand here before me while I'm down on my knees
And you'll tell me how you think it should be.

REFRAIN
Dreams that will never become memories,
Or things that stay broken too long.
Hypocrisy bulging from your back pocket,
All the rights that keep staying as wrongs.

Below average should be good enough,
All that you want you think I do, too.
What I don't have I can't use for leverage,
And I crumble, feeling just like a fool.

It will always be your vision, your words, your way.
Like a fool, I'll let time keep pushing us forward,
Into another this is a good enough day.

03.06.16
©Kerri L. Stanley