Ashtray Mouth.

I hate the ashtray taste of your mouth,

but I love your arm around me in the bar booth.

I hate the way it feels like I’m giving you my youth,

but then I forget I hate it with vermouth.

I hate the way you think I tell half-truths,

but I’ve never been that smooth.

–S.

Hang on, Honey.

I won’t put down roots.

I won’t clean somebody else’s boots.

I’ll stay just out of touch.

A little out of frame.

I’ll wait until it’s you whispering my name.

I won’t give my heart away.

I won’t desperately prolong any stay.

I’ll only get attached to the pets.

There’ll be no past regrets.

Hang on, honey.

It’s only you,

I’ll let love me.

–S.

Warm Whiskey.

The wind makes the trees dance,

and my hair frizzy.

I wonder if you ever miss me.

The wind makes the trees dance,

and my hair frizzy,

why didn’t you ever kiss me?

The wind makes the trees dance,

and my hair frizzy,

you still burn like warm whiskey.

The wind makes the trees dance,

and my hair frizzy,

it’s all starting to hit me.

–S.

Strength.

Look at what you did.

I was just a stupid kid.

I let you hold me.

I let you grope me.

I thought it was love,

but it was just lonely.

I let you hurt me.

I let you burn me.

I thought it was love,

but I was wrong.

All along, it was making me strong.

–S.

Deadly.

I met all the ones that weren’t ready.

The ones who didn’t want to go steady.

The ones that only wanted hot and heavy.

It’s been a deadly medley,

that left me empty.

I met the ones with ego and envy.

Of those, there were plenty.

I met petty,

an assembly of fake friendly.

It’s been a deadly medley,

that left me empty.

–S.

Shades of Blue.

Please don’t believe everything they tell you.

It was sky for a good while,

and then it was more artic.

Walked right into berry,

swam with indigo,

and dried off with navy.

Then things got lighter,

and it went ocean, teal, sapphire.

Went back to a little darker,

and it went lapis, cobalt, azure.

I think I’ve been every shade of blue.

–S.