Welcome

by Keithayonna Davis

To understand the world

You must understand yourself.

The lies you tell.

The blame you put on others.

The covers above your head

At night

While anger

Rests in your chest like fire.

There

In the mirror

Truth.

You fear,

If it shattered,

You’d pick the sharpest piece

And cut your wrists till you disappeared.

Feelings of abandonment

Linger in your doorway.

Yet remains empty.

“Who would care” ?

No one.

This fact holds a place

In your mind.

Concrete

As the measurement of time.

So

Instead,

You cut across your face.

Down the cheeks

Where your tears reside.

Across the mouth

Where your lip quivers so.

Across the eyes

Where terrible things

Flash before you

Like a film

You’d rather watch

Between your fingers.

There you are.

Blood trickling down.

Heart racing.

Hands aflame.

A coward.

In it’s own right.

Picasso !

Da Vinci?

No,

Basquiat.

Yes,

That’s it.

A tortured artist.

The world

Your own personal exhibit

Featuring you.

Just you.

Ugly out

As you are in.

They give you looks

But you can’t see.

They mock you

But you’ve built rivers for your tears.

You smile,

Because that’s all you can do.

Hiding from a world

You created.

But have yet to understand.