Sometimes,

When I first wake up from a nightmare,

I don’t realize that the threat is gone.

And I’m shaky and confused and scared.

With you,

The nightmare lives on.

Except with you,

Sleep was my escape.

Because no horror my mind concocted,

Could compare to what you had waiting.

It’s so like you, isn’t it,

To take over and distort my safe places?

Because you couldn’t leave me be.

You couldn’t let me be.

You never wanted for me to be happy.

And you left a mark on me.

That mark grew and joined the part of me that said,

I don’t deserve to be happy.

And it lives like a poison that’s still in my veins.

Diluted,

But you rear your ugly head every now and then.

You bring your face,

Your name,

A memory of some kind.

a nightmare.

You’ve buried yourself so deep that it’s hard to remember,

I’ve woken up from it.

I’m not in your nightmare anymore.

Even if I see you in my sleep,

Someday I will forget you by morning.

You don’t look so scary in the light.