Ambrosia

ambrosia

"what is this?" "it's ambrosia it's the food of the gods you can stop swallowing at any time try it. you'll love it."

- - -

her words are like honey pure and sweet and beautiful a universe exploding or maybe being created

ambrosia a sweet taste of a perfect world heals my wounds makes me more than what i am i feel powerful

until

her words cut into me her venom stings at my wounds she snarls at me

she's my reflection my goddess the one thing keeping me alive and she turns on my

i choke on the lies she's been feeding me

ambrosia a pretence at perfection playing god turning sour in my mouth and yet i cannot stop eating because now i have tasted it nothing else will ever be as sweet

she comforts me holds my hand apologizes with the same words as she used last time and all the times before that

"liar" i scream, twisting my hand away

she pulls it tighter "have some ambrosia" she says smiling softly at me

i cannot say no.

- - -

ambrosia the food of the gods you can stop swallowing at any time but only if you are brave enough to pull away.

author's note: this poem is about a toxic relationship i'm currently experiencing with my best (and pretty much only) friend. i used the metaphor of ambrosia because it describes exactly how i feel with her- one day she treats me like the most wonderful person on earth and the next i'm just the punching bag for whatever's happening in her life. i hope that one day i'll be able to refuse her "ambrosia". ~riley