Age six

The bones of your face
seemed to curve inward
in a way I knew hurt you more
than anything I could do
I wanted to kiss your
whole and perfect cheeks until
both our fears scampered away
into the inky black darkness
but he had only just begun
We all listened to him yell, waiting
for his anger to come to a boil
and fizzle out
In the dark of the hallway
your eyes looked bruise-purple
but I tried to keep the image
of them sky blue in my mind
You told me to go play
but even then you meant more to me
than the blood pumping through me
I wished I could take your pain
into myself and see your eyes again