I imagine you
Wimpering
And I cringe
At your sadness
And
At my hardened
Heart

How many times
Did I hold you
Thinking that this time
You could move beyond
That you would
Find the way to
Unstick yourself

But movement never happened
You gave me words
A false life
You asked me to love you
But you wouldn’t learn
To love
Yourself
Or me (truly)
In return

And I shrank
Depleted
Lifeless
Without love
To offer

You stole from me
Calling it love
Partnership

But I was alone then
Even beside you
And now
Without me
Near
Loneliness is alive
In you
Too

3/26/18