Painted Whiter Than White

You painted a picture of me so very white

Pure as the treacherous ice that grew between us

And when I failed to live up to your zealous image

The portrait you painted whiter than white

A shade too pale for me

The brush slipped to reveal

A shade that was truly me

You needed more than I could have ever been

You took more from me than I had to give

You wanted more than I could ever have been

You left me less than I have ever been

And the all that I gave you was never enough

To sate the possessiveness of your jealous soul

Hailed as messiah

Apotheosis beckoned

But the sanctity of godhead didn't last long

It turned to whipping-boy and then to pariah

Led on by devotion to my slaughter

You needed more than I could have ever been

You took more from me than I had to give

You wanted more than I could ever have been

You left me less than I have ever been

I gave you my love and kindness too

You took it all and more

I'm down on my knees

But what can I do?

Because I still love you

An overbearing fear of imagined loss

Blinded you to the nature of my faithful soul

You offered no life beyond your watchful gaze

Love was crushed as the walls closed in

And joy died with identical days

Confined in the prison of your own making