Read Between the Lines

By: Grace Tone
8.1.10

Bursting
With excitement
With fear, sorrow, hate and anger.
I am so happy to see you.
I don’t feel safe. Please leave me.
I want your company.
I fear your company.
You make me smile.
Why are you even here?
Let’s talk together.
Stop talking to me.
You are completely
Destroying my perfect silence
Amazing.

I love dancing.
I hid the whole time.
I didn’t want to
Be there.
Leave the floor.
I couldn’t
Keep going without water.
Handle it.
I only left for a minute.
I couldn’t stay gone long enough.
You found me
A sliced-up disaster
On my way back
To hell.
To the fun.
We danced.

It was
An accident
Intentional
A branch
A pin
Nothing
Everything.
You can ask.
Stop asking me questions.
I don’t mind.
I'm afraid of them
Now you know.
You could find out
Everything is fine.
I am not safe.

I do my best
To survive the day.
To succeed.
I want
People to like me.
People to believe me.
Of course I’m interested in
How can I care about
Everything you have to say.
Your mindless chatter?
You fascinate me.
You kill me.
I love you.
I hate you.
As much as I do myself.
Because of you
I am
Never without companionship
That much more alone.