putting down the rope

i don’t know how to tell you
that i like it when you leave parts of yourself behind
for me to find later,
when my lips are tinted one shade darker
or i can see where your fingers grabbed at me
to try and pull me closer into you,
i don’t know how to tell you
that i like scars because they show me
snapshots of more painful times
and when i chew on my lip and wince
i will remember you and how captivated i was
when you sucked out my marrow
and left me out to dry