Badges

A finger slowly traces

the tiny badge of blue.

Once a symbol of love,
a badge of honor,

a sign of the fragile filament

that connected one soul to another.

One move

and the badge is revealed,

seen clearly for what it is

a source of pain

just... a bruise.

*****

This was one of the very first poems I ever posted publicly. The response is what inspired me to continue writing. I've been told I expose too much of myself when writing poetry, but I think that's the purpose of writing. If you don't expose something, why bother?