glass walls

he was drawn to me
like a moth to a flame
pressing against walls 
that I built long ago
now threatening to

come tumbling down 

he spoke poetic words

in a seductive voice
about my caramel skin
warm as a Carolina sun
lips sweet like mangos
from the Caribbean 

and my core wanted it –

to touch his inner flame

and feel alive again 
but my hesitant heart

still held onto memories

of broken promises 

my mind questioned

whether this was all real

or was it all a dream

that won’t last the night

and will diminish

into dust at sunrise 

I pressed against the glass
wanting to shatter it
into a million pieces 
yet I still wanted its

protection it had given

me all these years