I made a fortress for my heart.

Built of bricks and cold cement,

Layer by layer i piled them high,

So no intruder could come in- again.

Hurt the first time, cried the second, beat the third and the fourth

not here

never was , truly even when i needed

what i really wanted was something that never really existed

Left me squirming on the floor, my lungs about to burst

every

single

breath

and

beat

seemed

to

make

it

hurt

Until my heart was raw, scratched to the bone

every part of it- screwed and shredded

So I’m building a fortress to protect my heart

from midnight lovers and long-time empties

Never again,

my heart

my fortress.

Block by block and bridge by bridge, Im building a fortress

To stop me from loving again

I can’t and i wont

protect and defend, turn away and ignore

please dont hurt me.

-J.I