If Only You Knew

You looked away,
just a second too long,
and I mistook it
for distance.

I laughed,
just a little too loud,
and you thought
I didn’t care.

We were never fighting,
not really
just slipping on words
meant to hold,
but spoken with
the wrong edge.

You said, “I’m fine.”
I heard, “Don’t ask.”
I said, “Do what you want.”
You heard, “I’m done.”

And there it was
a love still burning,
lost in the smoke
of what we didn’t say.

Somewhere between
your silence
and my pride,
we misplaced forever.

If only you knew
I stayed awake
replaying
that one small moment
that changed everything
not with a bang,
but with a blink.

Reviews

[alexAlexander]

Everyone in a relationship can identify. This is what makes us feel. That one small moment that changed everything. Great penmanship!

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you! That means a lot. It’s true—sometimes it's just one fleeting moment, one glance, one word, that shifts everything.

[alexAlexander]

And then we, if wise, get a different perspective. in growth and Love. Keep sharing you may, never know how your words touch others.

[red93]

Fabulous Neha, this is so subtle and well-written. How tiny little details can change everything. Really Excellent ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you so much! That truly means a lot. It's incredible how the smallest things — a glance, a word, a silence — can shift everything. I’m so glad you felt that in the piece. Your words just made my day! 💛

[mehwish]

hey this poem has a very thoughtful meaning and is very well written

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you so much — that truly means a lot. I’m glad the meaning came through and resonated with you. Your words are encouraging and deeply appreciated.

[W. Barrett Munn]

You might want to change your Em dashes that show up as ?. This site doesn't have Em dashes so you have to use three dashes with spaces surrounding them, like this, --- , to replace an Em dash.

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you so much for pointing that out — I really appreciate the heads-up. I’ll be sure to use the spaced triple-dash format ( --- ) moving forward to avoid any display issues. It's those small formatting details that can make a big difference in readability, especially in poetry. Thanks again! Mr. JayG also mentioned the dash thing before but it didn't come when I write it came after I posted the poem so it is system generated mistake.

[W. Barrett Munn]

Yes. It's a flaw in the Writerscafe.org program than doesn't recognize Em dashes so marks them with a question mark. It is very annoying, LoL.

[Ayesha Faiz]

This is quietly heartbreaking and so beautifully done. “A love still burning, lost in the smoke” is such a powerful line—gentle yet devastating. The way you captured how small moments and unsaid words can shift everything is deeply relatable. Soft, emotional, and beautiful. Enjoyed reading this fine piece of poetry.

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. It truly means a lot to know that the emotion in the piece came through and resonated with you. That line—“A love still burning, lost in the smoke”—came from a very quiet place, so it’s incredibly heartening to hear it spoke to you.

[Fishysua]

You communicate a whole conflict with so little
The language is grounded
The loss is clear
Missing, only, is the other perspective, unreachable

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you — that's a beautifully insightful observation. The essence of conflict often lies in what's unsaid, and grounding language in simplicity can make the ache even louder.

You're absolutely right: the missing piece is the other voice — the one that never explains, never responds, maybe never even gets to.