I thought this was a cracker there was real emotion in it, for me anyway, I do have one boggle I think the word 'and' is way over used but that's just my opinion I have a couple of suggestions for the first verse to show you what I think could be alternatives

I found the note you left for me
walking outside to catch my breath
I struck a match to light this fraud
and watched it slowly burn to ash.

that's just a couple of ideas let me know if you want some more suggestions I would be honoured to help

love Jayne x

I looked at the revision, this is so much better.
I'd like to make a suggestion on a couple of line with your permission,

And as the ash blew in the wind
it carried off your frequent lies,
I shed a tear for innocence
(of wasted beats and broken hearts.)

And now, I wait, impatiently,
for your return and promises
(praying that I will find the strength)
to send you on your faithless way.

You are a romantic, this is a beautiful heart felt poem.
That last stanza cries out with the love that is still felt through the pain
it is a hard hitting verse and the home run ending.
Kudos!
Eddie

A grand write simply put, correct in form, would love to see your version in free verse (Whoops) to be able to compare the two from the same poet.
Excellent write as per, Yours Ian.T

I agree about so many lines beginning with "and" . I also struggle with this problem at times without even being aware that I'd begun as many with it lol. Here's a small list of alternates I have come up with to use in place of "and" : yet, when, where, as, even, so. I'll leave it to you to decide whether any of these will be of use in this poem. BTW, I like this poem because it does a very good job of displaying the protagonist's emotions. (But being me, I kept expecting to see a rhyme pattern)..............stan

It quite had me convinced of its emotional veracity whereas I confess I sometimes find your work a little dry.  The iambic tetrameter is flawless. I stumbled a little on
praying that I will find the strength
which I would parse as
praying/ that I/ will find/ the strength
but thaty is a mere quibble.
As usual your "Last few words: " shit me to tears. The poem needs no explication and it gives the piece a didactic feel.

My bugbear word, as it is with many is "but", so I made myself a mini thesaurus for just that word:
all the same, although, bar, barring, be that as it may, consequently, despite that, even so, except (for), excepting, excluding, for all that, however, in spite of that, just, merely , moreover, nevertheless, nonetheless, omitting, only, other than, otherwise, save, simply, still, though, with the exception of, yet.