Bridges

Look at things from my perspective.

Cover up giggles with scowls because life has taught you to,

because before this, laughter has always meant weakness.

The flood of feelings you've hidden are finally strong enough to break free of their own volition and the dams needed to hold them back are most effective when made of hard materials and fortified with the mortar of bitter resentment.

Grudges are your only protection against repeat offenders.

They don't let you forget that trust is expensive timber.

It is costly to build with, but worth every splinter.

When bridges are singed, it's easy for the planks to grow a taste for sparks.

Keep them away from fiery things like men

whose eyes burn deliberately as matches when they look at you.

Forgiveness is gasoline. Fuel for change,

but easily ignites a brighter anger each time it's exposed to flames of betrayal.

These bridges are set over kept emotions.

They are crackling and breaking under the weight of his steps across what once allowed him access to secret places.

They're still embers, spitting out the smokey ghosts of everything you hoped you would be then and all you lack to be now.