Venom in the Islands

Brown skin sunrise

Salt on your collarbone

You say my real name

Like you carved it in stone

Palm trees leaning

Listening in

Your laugh tastes sweet

Your gaze feels thin

You trace my scars

Like they’re coastlines on a map

Say you love the way I burn

But you never ask what lit the match

Venom in the islands

Dripping from your tongue so sweet

Honey on the violence

Hiding in the sand and sea

You kiss like a promise

You cut like coral on my feet

Venom in the islands

Baby

You’re the poison I repeat

Rum on your breath

Storm in your eyes

You talk about forever

While you practice goodbye

Necklace of seashells

Tight round my throat

You say it’s protection

Feels more like a rope

You pull me under

Say the water sets me free

But every time I catch my breath

You take a little more of me

Venom in the islands

Dripping from your tongue so sweet

Honey on the violence

Hiding in the sand and sea

You kiss like a promise

You cut like coral on my feet

Venom in the islands

Baby

You’re the poison I repeat

[whispered vocals] Stay

Say it slow

Say it slow

Your hands

High tide

Undertow

I know

Every edge

Every lie

Still I taste you

Like I never learned to die