I've Never Stopped Loving Chris Mallon

You spoke with your fists
more than you spoke with your words
the hate poured out of you and onto me
for all the things that weren't my fault

You've beaten the fight out of me
taught me not to run and tell
a lesson made in blood
turned me into your slave

You showed me kindness
in rare moments you didn't make my life hell
a manipulation or a nicer side to you
I could never tell

You fed me breadcrumbs
made me treasure them like gold
until I worshipped the ground you walked on
and looked at you like one might look at God

You upped and left
never said a goodbye
it hurt more than
the most painful fist and the cruelest lie

You became a ghost
haunted me for a decade
showed up in memories and dreams
and one summer night in real life

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