Hidden Emotion

Club of Broken Hearts

Shards of glass litter the floor
Plumes of onyx smoke curl 'round your throat
Crimson light shines off your vacant eyes
It's been a while since we've had a newcomer.
Perch abandoned at the old checkered barstool;
Now focused on you and you only.

Where am I? Why am I here? What's on my arm?
Hand circles around your wrist
Fingers trembling
Heart booming

I point a red lacquered nail
Back to the sign hanging
Above the ebony swinging doors.

Welcome to the Club of Broken Hearts,
Neon red flickers.
Swirling calligraphy reads,

Nam absque cura animis relicto trans refigunt/
For those devoid of care, left with hearts beyond repair

Someone's broken your heart,
I state blunty.
Your mouth twists
And so does your heart.
Blink, blink, blink.
Pound, pound, pound.

But don't worry.
My fingers trace the shape on your wrist.
This tattoo has a reason.
It will tell you where you belong.

I think it's time you've met our members.
Watch your step, love,
Don't tread upon the glass.
Come with me.

A woman sits with lustful poise
Upon a cushion of crushed velvet.
Torn fishnets and glittering rubies
Lipstick smears and spilled wine (or is it?)
A card lies between her ivory fingers-
2 of hearts.
This is Love.
You belong to her if
Your love has ensnared you
and you can't let go,
No matter how hard you try.
She and her table members
flashes you catty smiles
That hide the pain in their eyes.

You don't belong here.

The next table
Is overruled by a woman,
Dark hair covering her face.
Jewelry covers her skin,
Emerald silk slithers
across her torso.
She brings her head up,
and her gaze meet yours.
Her silver eyes are mirrors-
They reflect everything she'll never have.
This is Jealousy.
She flashes a card
9 of diamonds.
You belong to her
If your love was never good enough,
and others hold your heart's futile desires.
Hungry stares
Travel up and down your body.

You don't belong here.

A curtain of smoke and enraged yells cloak the next table,
Through which you can see a man.
His cigar twirls in his fingers,
The end burning as bright as his flaming eyes.
The neon light reflects off of his brass knuckles,
Which are engraved with a name that shall never be spoken
(if you value your life.)
Playing cards are strewn in all directions,
Cacophonous voices scream, scream, scream.
From the chaos, the man plucks a card:
3 of clubs.
This is Wrath.
I look him dead in the eyes.
You belong to him if
your love turned to flame
because you could not possibly comprehend
What lied within the depths of your heart,
and you gave in.
Men and women alike argue,
The hoarseness of their bellows
Reflecting the pain in their hearts.

You don't belong here.

The last table is the hardest.
A myriad of people sit here,
silent.
At the head is a woman:
Her skin pale and lifeless,
Ratty hair cascading down her back,
Years and years of frown lines
etched into her pained face.
Her head turns at the sound of our footsteps,
And then,
you see it.
Her eyes are just empty sockets-
She will never be able to see
What she truly has.
This is Loneliness,
I take a deep breath.
Love's twin.
Your face is in shock.
If you think about it,
I continue,
Aren't love and loneliness the same thing?
One can both start and kill the other.
You belong to Loneliness
If someone broke your heart
and then stole all the pieces.
Loneliness has the most members, actually.
Isn't it funny how they are all together,
Yet they are all still lonely?
Face after face stare at you,
Riddled with despair, tears streaming.
Loneliness pulls a card out of her black robes-
2 of spades.
Your hand flies to your wrist
A tug of the sleeve reveals a spade tattoo.

You belong here.

Thank you for guiding me.
I finally found where I belong, you say,
A grimace on your lips.
Your place at Loneliness's table calls to you
But you turn to look at me.

Wait, where do you belong?
Oh, foolish you.
Didn't you know,
I'm the oldest member of this joint?  I grin. 
I yank my sleeve down:
heart, diamond, club, and spade.
I belong to them all. 

A/N: hey lovelies! I hope you enjoyed this poem, I tried to make it almost like a story. so sorry I haven't updated in an extremely long time- the end of the year exams and final projects are taking up all my time. hopefully I should be able to make some new poems very soon for you all! love ya!