empathy that hurts

I once loved a monster.

He trimmed his teeth so I could not see

but I always did

I would pretend I saw nothing as he hid

I wanted him to feel like he could relax

dont ask me why

I dont know that

I saw something in him, I knew it was in me too

the child in my chest, touched his

and wept

one day the monsters mask

slipped

I hurt him, and he got angry

his teeth flashed at me

and I left again

painfully

there once was a little girl who knew monsters were people too

–empathy that hurts