which is the lesser grief?

to stay, with all the pain of misunderstanding? with all the heartache, stress and tears...the suspicion and jealousy...and all the relentless fear. fear of failing you, fear of inadequacy, fear of disappointment.

fear that one day you will turn away loveless.

but if i leave you to go cold again, to escape the inevitable pain, will i be able to stop loving you? will i imprint your face on every stranger walking these streets? can my body erase all memory of your hands?

i fear i will be haunted by those long slow mornings...held so tightly i dreamed that when your heart would stop, so would mine.