when I was small

my mother told me about love

she said that he should be

like

a king

and that

I

should be his

queen

that he should

treat me

like the

best thing

that ever happened

to him

and he should

never

lie

to me

she said that

I would know

from

the very beginning

that he

was

"Mr. Right"

and I thought 

he would come bearing gifts

love

protection

 

when the leaves fell from the trees

I sat heartbroken

only 16

on the fifth day of February

he was a 

friend

before he became more

I thought to myself

this is perfect

he brought me

sweet 

shiny

soft 

things

showered me in affectionate words

laced together like

a valentine's day card

I gave him

a chance

and for so

many months

it was a fairytale

a perfect portrait 

like my mother painted

all those years ago

 

then

without warning 

he began 

to try and take what was

not

his

that's mine

I cried out

that's mine

he said

look at all I

have 

given to you

all the dates

the 

sweet

shiny

soft 

things

don't I 

deserve

your body

for all I have done?

 

NO

this was not in the story

the king wasn't 

supposed

to hurt

his queen

that was never meant to be

 

the leaves fell once more

on the eighth day of October

and I

gathered the

strength

to be both king

and queen

he played

victim

he called me

gold digger

a user

a money taker

and all I

could do

was

shake my head

because the truth 

was

too real

to say

 

maybe I

will never find a king

but

at least now

I will know

what a tyrant 

looks 

like

acts

like

is

like