Souvenirs

By Laura and Liv

i collect my bruises like souvenirs
all different shapes and colours
reminding me over the years
forgotten memories with others
i poke each one as i lay to rest
my mind just keeps on racing
the bruises are my temporary guests
lost moments I kept chasing
a purple heart above my knee
reminds me how i drank too much
i close my eyes and count to three
it fades away under my touch
two blue clouds sit on my shins
from a bag hitting too hard
they mark my legs, those blue cloud twins
each fading bruise it leaves me scarred
i quite like the way they make me feel
i feel as though my body has been painted
blue, purple, red and teal
but ones from you make me feel tainted
a bruise on my thigh won’t seem to go away
a part of me you used to touch
it seems my body wants to delay
this scrap of you that’s left too much
i force myself to feel the pain again
poking it to darker hues of blue
like exploded ink from an old pen
reminding me of memories with you
i poke it once i poke it twice
i want them to remain
my soul willing to pay the price
that my mind cannot maintain
these souvenirs etched to my bones
soon they will be gone
i always knew that they were loans
waiting to be withdrawn
one moment more and i’ll be clean
but you’ll still tarnish me within
the touch you left will not be seen
no souvenirs left on my skin