deep. by Eli Oko

He was a thousand lies deep

Each time he held her hand and said he loved her

That he needed her

He missed her

Wished to see her

Smile, glowing eyes

Radiant

So radiantly

He was a thousand lies deep 

And open to his love

As much as she was open to his hugs

Sometimes warmth

She was exposed to the storm

And now she lay in his words

The ones he used to beautify, romanticize, exasperate her 

Covering hurt

She now lays a thousand lies deep

She asks, “Why would I translate a thousand lies to help others like me?”

For themselves, they should see the crimson colour of his letters, the velvet texture of his vowels?

Even in the way that he speaks,

You can hear

You can see

Truly believe, but it doesn’t bother me

Because he is all that I need.”

She waded in with the waves at her knees 

But now she, 

Is a thousand lies deep.