Sometimes

words pour softly

onto pastel pages sharing love,

and some are ugly

terror sweats

that must be written

to be freed.

There are those

that slice the soul who writes,

as well as

 the one who reads

the words

written in agony.

There are times so ugly

that there are no words to shine

a light of mercy~

so they rage.

If in raging so they do offend

I offer that you close

your eyes

and listen with your heart

to the tears

and screams of poison

draining onto pages

crumpled in despair.

If it occurs

that you can’t bear to see

to feel

the truth of me,

I bid you

close your heart and mind

and walk away

at the very least

with a compassionate

negligence

without cutting further

into the heart

that bleeds.

~Shelly~