Rot Poem by Annie Badillo

i knew better than

to trust you and

yet i found myself

believing every

poisonous

and every bold-faced

lie you told me

the words dripped from your lips

and to me they were a

sweet nectar

but with a bad aftertaste.

i knew i was better than you

and yet i played a martyr

i wanted to save someone

and in trying to save you

i lost me.

cliche’ i know...

but then,

so are you.

now i wish that i would

have just left you alone

left you to your drink of

rum and coke

and the sour look on your face

should have been the first sign

that you were bad news

you say that you hold everyone

(including yourself)

to high expectations...

but you will allow no one

(but of course you)

to meet them

you are the worst of the worst

one can spot the rot of you a

mile off

but the horrible wreckage

is too comanding of a scene

to look away

you repulsed me and yet

i couldn’t tear myself away

eventually you will find

you have rotted from the

inside out.