Poetry 2017 Shortlist, Tanya

To you, my special poison

Let me rip off the sanity badge and come out in the battleground,
Let me soak my hands in the blood that runs in my veins and paint you a picture today,
Take a backseat for once baby; sit still, while I create a piece of art
You’ve had your days and your nights and you did well,
You’ve been able to null my senses and enslaved me for days and nights, without an ounce of doubt
Yes, the smell of victory is a treat of sorts, isn’t it?
But tonight, I am not folding in, tonight; I am not letting you cripple my bones,
Tonight I am not letting my mind lose itself to the chaos of your music
Tonight I am not letting you lift my hand and put it over my lips to stop it from making a sound
that disturbs the noise that identifies with you in my head
Tonight, my love, I am not letting you crawl into my bed and sleep next to me
Tonight, I am high on my flaws, my rage and my demons,
Tonight, I am drowned in myself and I refuse to look up.