A Love Held Back

The love I feel, I cannot express,

A silent ache, a wordless mess.

Fear wraps its hands around my chest,

Of breaking again, I can't invest.

The love I had, so bold, so true,

Feels like a ghost I once knew.

And now this love, so tender, so near,

Feels unjust, held back by fear.

Am I worthy of love's embrace?

Or just a shadow, taking up space?

I’ve forgotten how to let it flow,

What love feels like, I no longer know.

Poems speak of love so bright,

Of soaring days and endless nights.

But my heart beats with half its fire,

Unsure of truth, lost in desire.

I think, and think, and drift away,

Pretending work will save the day.

But love is not a task, a chore,

It’s a gift to give, and so much more.

Yet here I stand, a fragile frame,

Afraid to lose, afraid of shame.

To love, to feel, to let her see,

The hidden depths inside of me.

So maybe I'll learn; maybe I'll try,

To give her the stars, not just the sky.

For love deserves to be set free,

Not bound by fear, but endlessly.