Bleeding Ink

Vingt

When I saw you, I first noticed your ink-stained fingertips

The spiral notebook you peered into

The fine crease between your brows as you concentrated

Then I noticed your caramel coloured hair

The crown of autumn leaves,

Of thorns

Of flames

Resting atop your head

The way your eyes resembled the oceans I took swims in

The midnight sky I connect constellations on

The way you looked like every fictional character I had ever fallen in love with

How you spoke like every sonnet I had ever read

How you walked like poetry

And smiled like summer rain

I never noticed how your pens bleed ink

Or what you wrote in your spiral notebook

Why you concentrated so hard

I never asked why you hated your ocean eyes so much

Or why you were afraid of midnight

I never asked why you could recite The Tell-Tale Heart word for word

I merely smiled as every syllable rolled off your tongue and sailed off your lips

I never asked why you tread so quietly

Like a cat sailing along a wall

Or a thief at night

I never saw the coldness behind your summer weather smile

Or heard the storm raging in your laugh

Until the knife was pointed at my chest

-Maybe perfect is not so perfect after all