Bite Me

when I was thirteen (I think)
I read this book
with a chapter on
"psychic vampires"
and maybe I'm remembering all wrong
but
they take little pieces of your soul
away and never give them
back.
or something.

but now I wonder
if everyone in my life is a
"psychic vampire"
because isn't that how
life works?

we give ourselves away
piece by piece;
tiny boxes wrapped up neatly,
even tied with a bow.
we give them to the people in our lives-
those we love, even those we hate
and like that ex who never gave you back
that box of your favorite CDs,
we never see those bits of ourselves again.

or is that just me?