Verbal Visions

Red Asylum

Red Asylum


The white wall is splayed with
patterns of red
It is beautiful, this pattern
I stare at it I am horrified.

Not because of how it
disgusts me but because
it doesn't.


It is only through these
vermillion stains
that I know my heart
is still beating

This is my normal
It's how I know
he loves me

These designs are the pattern
of our life
a tangible manifestation
of his power
over me

He loves to paint them
They are shades of my heart
on display
They tell him I love him too
If I didn't
I would never allow him
to hit me

I must bleach clean the walls
and wipe away these memories
We will begin again
The past is over
mistakes forgiven
He is himself again

Until tomorrow
when the monster returns
and paints the walls again.
The angry scars of battle
have begun to sink in
I'm afraid they will never come clean
They are stained by this horror
and so am I.

This is my red asylum
And I fear I may never
escape.