He said that
He saw me as perfect…
All pristine and to be
Protected by what
he called
Love.
Heavy and encompassing
Like new snow,
Making me into what
He thought, what he saw
And to squirm from
Under his hand
Was indeed tyranny.
How dare I have
Passion and self
Outside of his
Selfishness—
To see his passion
As novOcaine
Filling my body
With his desire
Never my want
And my blood to
Numb from what
Burned around me.
I closed my eyes
Made myself
Relish the heat
Of this passion
And recoil from
Whatever was cold
Outside of his touch.
He became my mirror.
I could not see
Me without him.
-JBHarris, April 2021
I Breathe Fire 