I have to say you caught me off guard
Unaware; mask over my eyes
Although I have to admit I am surprised
My heart has faced the cannibal
And survived

I believed in you, in us; stood by your side
You would think I would know better
Since this trek I have already made
The path is well traveled,
My footprints already set for me

Somehow I can look around and see remnants of you
Memories, miniature movie clips invade my life
Your presence haunts my dreams
Turns my moods; like our relationship
From red to green to blue.

You said - you told me
I was your muse
Inspiration, a vision
The gold paint on your palette
Your choice hue

One day -
One I never thought I would see
I saw the canvas you painted
Black and white
Crept off the side; bled over into the sea

Tell me when you discovered
The night no longer held a guiding light
When the vehement motion of the sea
Capsized, crushed and sunk
All hopes and dreams

I want to know
Who gave you the right
To set what we had afloat
To make those decisions
And to leave me reeling
I wasn't even given a choice

I suppose in retrospect
Everything is meant to be
I could have lost more
I could have gazed at the mirror
And realized the person there wasn’t me

My soul could have been contaminated
And you - the disease
No regrets or what-if’s exist
My only one true wish
The lesson taught, not be so harsh

That canvas of Black and White
Now holds several shades of gray
Doubt, uncertainty persist
Shadows cast with no escape
Even in the brightest sun, will they ever erase.