Playing With Fire

I licked my chapped lips, an attempt to moisturize,
while murky thoughts crept into my mind.
I heard the sound of my heartbeats grow louder
as we each isolated ourselves in the intense hunt.

There were nights when I slept with both eyes open
because fear of death had taken its toll on me.
I was hallucinating that my purple bruises spread
around my body while my wounds remain untouched.

I remember when nostalgia crawled up to me at dusk,
and my memories pulled the emotional strings of my heart.
I was dreaming of the future to escape the homesickness,
a future that didn't involve the suffering and inequality I live in.

I longed to dance in a customized fish-cut dress
with protective flames illuminating my essence
but I settled for a more practical and comfortable outfit
to help me climb the tree of life and protect me from harm.

Somehow I smelled your bitter lips from thirty feet away;
I followed you, and searched for a way to mend my loneliness.
It was just you and me... and when our shadows intertwined,
I felt closer to home, closer to where we yearned to be.

We controlled our own weapons yet we couldn't shield
Cupid from shooting our hearts with his own bow and arrow.
My mission involved seeking shelter, while hunting to survive,
but your presence altered my mission - for You are now my priority.

We fought a battle of love, hate, deception, and vengeance,
where our previous friends became our shrewd enemies.
Yet somehow - you remained bonded by my side
with protective wings stronger than a Mockingjay's.

I risked my entire existence for you - even during your
displays of hubris (I knew it would be your downfall).
And now - as I stand on my pedestal with my crooked crown,
I wonder...

Would you do the same for me?

~ Written for a contest inspired by the Hunger Games. In this poem I have included the titles of each poem I wrote for all 3 rounds: Homesick, Vengeance, and Seeking Shelter