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

Pretending to Forgive

I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt
Seeking forgiveness in my heart for
Trying to allow time to erase the foundation
Of the past and those harsh words I've heard you throw out

Truth is undeniable and we both know it was a lie
To pretend to be cordial and fake our forced smiles
In the name of common connections and the sport
Where goals and your hypocrisy you could never hide

So go ahead and lock the door and throw away the key
Having slammed the door in my face for selfish reasons
You've shown your truest colors in a fight that wasn't yours
Witnessing your childish behavior I won't hide for all to see

If you ever have the power not like the kind that breeds hatred
You might look in the mirror and someday see what I now see
The reasons for why you find yourself standing there alone
With a net that is your barrier away from which I've been led

I've brushed it off my shoulder, the dust that once was doubt
Something I know I should have done all those years ago
Still, not caring will take some time to come around again
I'll remember looking back to pretend not to care what it's about


05.05.14
©Kerri L. Stanley

Words of Flight

Isn't it funny how the truth comes to light

Through pent up anger that is put on paper

Words expressed to spark flames of a fight

You will pack so much emotion in one phrase to be right

Misdirected by your misguided anger

And wrong conclusions you keep in your sight

Every difference and contradiction that they might

Replace what is goodness and true and sincere

Hiding behind the curtain that has in turn shed new light

Refusing to believe that the words would take flight

Despite closing the door thinking it would be better

While the darkness still blinds you to see what is right

Still holding fast to the lies you grasp day and night

Crushing your spirit one more time and more vaster

But still standing tall on the ledge of your height

That paper, it's burning my heart not from fright

But of the sadness in you now and I hope not forever

That will keep you standing alone in your plight

Until it is thrown away like this friendship overnight

04.07.14
©Kerri L. Stanley

Truth

Together, alone, and mostly apart
We go in and out through our days
Connecting only now and again
As the past we once had will still fade
Malice has no place in our homes
Yet you will poke the hornet nest in the tree
And misjudge what you want to believe
Casting doubt for others to see
That the stones you have thrown will fall
By the ditch where I fell and now lay
Will uncloud my mind to the truth
That wasn't real at all yesterday
Perhaps your vision is a sign
It defines the person I see
I'm nothing of value to you
As ever you don't want me to be

04.07.13

I See Right Through You

It’s like saying it’s yellow
When it’s really gold
Or pretending to change
And conform to a mold
Where you can’t quite fit
To the stories you’ve told
And warmth is still absent
Even away from the cold
Your eyes will betray you
In your imagination so bold
You think you’re so clever
With your cards that you hold
Refusing to back down
And admit you should fold
Keep lying to yourself
But I won’t ever be undersold

02.25.09