Almost

I wish I could voice it, 

But the words won’t flow. 

Like a bird in a cage 

With nowhere to go. 

The words press on ribs. 

They beat on my chest, Rise in my throat 

Yet fear strangles them with an unbreakable rope

Held down by the weight of my own restraint. 

I almost said it, but “almost” never changes a thing.

 

In every moment, I almost said it. 

But the words unravel before they can be spoken. 

All I’ve mustered is a quiet breath, 

A whisper of love that faded despite my unwavering devotion. 

I almost said it. I almost tried to, 

But the words were lost and swallowed by my pride. 

My heart screamed while I bit my tongue. 

Now the chance is dead and gone. 

I almost said it. 

Now “what if” is all I have left. 

You look at me like you already know

Like you’re waiting, holding back until I let it show. 

Yet, I choke on the moment. 

Breathless confessions fill my lungs 

Yet my fear locks them away, forever unsung. 

I almost said it,

But my silence wrote our ending. 

Here I am holding the match 

Too afraid to strike it and light what could burn forever

Smothering the flame with doubt 

I watch as the love of soulmates drifts, 

My fear is the current, washing away a wish. 

I almost said it 

But almost love isn’t love at all. 

I wish I could force the words to break free 

Shatter the shackles of doubt wrapped around me. 

But my courage wilts, too weak to fight 

Like flowers left at a gravesite�" 

A buried love never brought to life. 

Why is this so hard? 

I scream from the rooftops, but no one hears

Words lost in the stars and swallowed by fear 

A ghostly silence filled only with tears 

Like a speech on stage, but the mic is off 

Or a message erased before it was caught 

Each time my gaze meets your eyes, 

I feel a fire that longs to rise

Burning with love, but flickering too low

Dimmed by the silence I can’t seem to let go

 

We fit like a song that’s never been played 

A melody fading, too timid to be made 

Yet, I let you slip away, let our love fade 

Like ink on a page erased by the rain 

Helplessly watching as our love decayed

Your gaze now drifts, chasing something new

A future I dread yet somehow still knew 

Now here I stand, drowning instead 

In the weight of the words I almost said.