Aubs.

There’s one word of advice

That i’ve ignored

And have now taken to heart

Never get another’s name

Carved into skin

If things ain’t been written in stone

‘Cause when y’all break up

It’ll be a pain to look at

Everytime you wake up

Not to mention you can’t cover it with makeup

And will have to make up stories

For folks who expect you to be both book and author

Narrating your own illustrations drawn upon both sides of your spine

Telling them tales to why words were so worshipfully

Written in ink

And remember removal is always an option

Just know it drains pockets

To hide them from eye sockets

Yet memories of what was once there

Will always be locked in

And it hurts more when stripped away

Drawing out tears that eyes can’t keep blocked in

Not to mention it might generate gossip

People talking

Assuming you got a new side piece

That outbeat what was once on your arm

Either way it’s a loss G

Can’t begin to tell you just how much its cost me

Sitting in that reclined chair

Vulnerable with skin bare

Bearing uncomfort that comes with

Giving sacred permission to people to pierce past

Surface of what’s seen

Deeper than any needle could ever go

Past sacrificed skin where her name is written in

Cursive to remind us how connected our spirits were

She is an artisan

Who made my heart her canvas

To scribe her initials upon

A heat wave that brought warmth to my cold soul

Yet scorched it indefinitely

When she trail blazed a path

Burning away any evidence that we were two embers

That became one great fire

And what makes me melt

Is that she tells friends that she felt what he felt

A real passion passing heat felt

And though she felt safe and secured

Things just didn’t click like a seat belt

So it only felt right to eject me out of a speeding car

Leaving me to bear all these scars

And her name that i’ve taken to heart

Though she’s easily erased mine

Sitting back in this reclined chair with a blank stare

Trying to distract myself from this painful removal process

Of trying to get you out of my heart

Though it hurts so much to remove

Yet burns everyday that I wake up and approve

Either way it’s a loss

So though I may have never tattooed

Your name upon my flesh

Your initials stay inscribed on my heart

And this is just as worse

Because I may not see them

But I feel them

And nowadays I am trying to feel

Less