love's ghost dance

i have armoured myself
from the bows and arrows
used my breast plate
to the fullest
but the irony of this world
always has a bullet

my love
you became my ghost shirt
but you wouldn't allow the dance
and so i became vulnerable
to love's early death

lies are light as feathers
when they've gone unknown
but my headdress
became heavy
as i carried the burden
knowing
i'd lose you

so i hung myself
with my own horse
but the family tree
though branched and heavy
will not hold me