Oh, Seabird

I’m sorry, my love.
I didn’t realize
The toxicity
That seeps from my fingertips
Has marred
Your innocent purity.

In my eyes you are
A god, a savior.
I must remember
That you are simply human, seabird.
A better human than most,
Than myself,
But a human just the same.

I only wanted
You to hold me
Safe in your arms until
Neither of us could remember
The childish troubles
That rocked my paper boat.

I pulled myself
From the dark waters
Only to writhe in agony,
The blackest stain
Of a sea urchin
On the chattering sands,
A thousand shades of beige.

The salt water burns
Every opening, every scar
I can imagine.
The sun bakes sand
Into my open wounds.
I miss vivacious death.

Finally, you found me, seabird,
Bleeding an angular on
The apathetic sands.
I had never felt love before.
Not from the storm that
Battered me at will
And taught me fear.
Not from
The solitary ocean depths
Devoid of sustenance,
Devoid of healing.

Oh love, oh seabird,
You don’t deserve, such narcissistic pain
From me in place of love.
I am the sea urchin,
The poison running down your face,
And with my metallic kiss,
I steal everything you used to be.
My love, my seabird
When was the last time
You could fly away?