Abused Farewells

Bruised flesh where his lips once cradled her skin.
Fingerprints where his hands had once been.
Torn into pieces, he loved her more, alive in his heart.
His mind, not grasping the depth of what has happened.

She runs from his touch, his caress. That sensation
that used to lull her to sleep, used to give her peace
suddenly breaks her heart. She left him, left for a
man who never cared, never loved her, only abused her.

Now she lies still, the cuts have worn her soul thin.
The black eye was from a fall, the broken arm an
accident. Nothing was his fault, she never blamed
him. Why did she leave the one that truly loved her?

He sits in the front row, tear streaked face, watery
lime green eyes littered with unsaid goodbyes. He
can't help but think that he let her die. And all those
missing memories, fall together and fly.

"Death be not happy," he whispers. "Taken angel,
fly." He gives her the rose, his last goodbye. And
for a moment, permitted this small gift, her frozen
lips, pull into one final smile.