Scarlet – Hailey Mead

Not an injection but rather a stab

By a syringe that suckled your veins

Pulling venom into the vial

That holds the pollution to streams

That I’ve tried to keep clean 

Scarlet synthetics surface the infection

I cured once

Or twice before

Pus protects the parts that are left of me

Pieced together by sticky saps

That seep onto the floorboards  

And pull you under like quicksand until only your head is above

And the body that holds your needles

Is caged into paralysis

Pupils dilate

Fade to black 

As I pry my scars from before

To kill the toxins that stole

Myself from me

And gave to you

I scrape the surface of the swelling sores

To leak the scarlet synthetics

Into your watery grave 

I won’t let you scar me

Anymore