He seduces smoke silhouettes
Compensating for the loss of his duet
Desperately attempting to see past the vignette
During lonely hours, he clings to his rosette

He lies among the ashes
Memories splatter through his mind in splashes
Perceiving a monster through rose-colored glasses
As every ounce of trust leaks out of emotional gashes

He quests for human connection
To quell his dichotomy, he turns to physical affection
Doing everything in his power to be rid of his infection
Though he is unsure of the right course of action

Some days, he still chases the mirage
Trying to fit the fragments together like a collage
To remind himself of her toxic barrage
To remind himself that he fell in love with camouflage

Fret not, gentle reader
Though I'm aware that this tale is a bleeder
Truth is, this man isn't meager
He has the heart of a ferocious leader
And the heart of a sincere believer