Perfume

It wafts lightly in the air
A soft delicious scent
Like floral, herbs, or spice
To me it’s heaven sent
I step a little closer
Into the confines of our space
The odor is beguiling
And yet, it’s foreign to our place
So I venture further still
And I see you there
You’re smiling
With tender words you welcome me
But the odor is enticing
The essence does distract me
Unfamiliar to my senses
It floats on air and lingers there
And I think of past offenses:
Of little slips of paper
With words that whispered love
To those who were not me
To those whose flesh you loved
And the fragrance still is stronger
And I’m reminded of a lie
Of a promise that you made
But that you did not abide—

I smell betrayal in the air
And things do seem amiss
As you stand and start to tremble
In the wake of my soft kiss
And the essence is now bitter,
It’s becoming vile
I look to you and I do see
That you no longer smile
I know then your heart is heavy
With the burden of your guilt
And the pain that you’ve inflicted
In the name of selfish pleasure
In the name of your addiction—

The fragrance is a murmur
That tells the simple truth:
You’ve brought another to our bed
And the smell is her perfume.