POETRY BY AMANDA MAYNARD

TRIGGER WARNING: ALLUSIONS TO BLOOD, MURDER

The Monster You Think I Am

in the empty space
between our 
turned backs
i buried my 
hope
the promises
we made
sworn underwater
silver ropes tight
around my wrists
as i knelt at 
your altar

our future
didn’t scream
when i pulled
my pillow
over its face
like you didn’t
flinch when 
the tide
separated us

i think that was
the worst part
when you stopped
loving me
you didn’t put
up a fight
you washed
me down the 
drain with
the crimson ebb 
of your blood

what we could
have been
and what
we became
are two
very different
things


Lesson Learned
​
Without you I’ve learned

1. You cannot buy love
   
2. Not with all your time or money
   
3. Or a million and two good
   
4. intentions
   

Without you I’ve learned

1. What it is to be
   
2. The jagged piece of glass 
   
3. That slices the unwanted palm
   
4. And how to become
   
5. The blood that drips
   
6. Between fingertips
   

Without you I’ve learned

1. There are 500 words
   
2. For loneliness
   
3. But only so many
   
4. Ways to say
   
5. That on any given day
   
6. The space where
   
7. You used to live in my heart
   
8. Is a blank wall
   
9. A burnt match
   
10. An empty grave
    

Amanda. 29. Georgia. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but I’m still new to the publishing world. When I’m not writing, I’m listening to music, playing video games or zoning out to my favorite comfort movies and TV shows. Twitter is where I say ridiculous things: @cardinalrx