Battle Ground

via Tea With Ellie
Author: Eloise Shorney

I love him

Like the sky loves a storm

Cover my eyes

Ignore what he wreaks on my soul

I love him

Like the earth loves the sun

I bask in his glory

Splitting wide open

Becoming undone

I need this

I need it

I need to throw myself away

To a boy who won’t even catch me

Because that is what I make love to be

it is the destroying, the extreme.

It is not the sun, warming the leaves

It is not the storm releasing the heavens

It is the fire, the blackened tree tops,

It is the burning, cracking earth.

It is.

No more.

I will not be victim

I will not open

I will not cover my eyes

I will let this need go.

Let him go.

Because love should not be a battle ground

It should not split and bleed me out

It should

Fulfil me

Not be this aching gnawing need

I love him

Like no one should ever love anyone

Because love

Should not destroy you

But make you

But in all truth

All I’ve learnt of love

Didn’t come from him

But how I felt about my own skin.

So before I let another in

I need to learn to love myself

Before I fall in love with him.

Battle Ground is one of three winning poetry submissions from February’s poetry party: How Do I Love Thee? It was submitted by Eloise Shorney. To read more of Ellie’s wonderful poems join her for Tea at Elliesian’s Visions.

Challenge yourself with the art of poetry, all writers, all ages welcome to join Memee’s Poetry Party… after you’ve submitted your original work, challenge your friends to join in the fun!