Half-hearted

In shades of gray, my spirit dwells,

A melody half-played, a story half-tells.

A flickering flame, a hesitant beat,

My heart, a captive in a tepid heat.

I yearn to soar, a boundless kite,

But unseen strings bind me, tethered and tight.

A hesitant touch, a tentative stride,

The world a whisper, on the other side.

I paint in hues of muted light,

Aching for colors, vibrant and bright.

My laughter rings, a hollow chime,

A melody lost, lost before its prime.

A half-drawn smile, a teardrop held back,

Emotions muffled, on a shadowed track.

I dance a waltz with indecision's hold,

Fear's icy grip, a story untold.

Dreams flicker, embers in the night,

Longing for passion, a burning, brilliant light.

But doubt creeps in, a serpent's cold coil,

Wrapping around dreams, leaving them unboiled.

I build castles in the air, with fragile sand,

Washing away with the tide, at fate's command.

The taste of victory, a fleeting delight,

Replaced by the bitterness of endless might-have-beens' fight.

Oh, to break free, to shed this skin,

To dive headfirst, where the wild winds begin.

To embrace the fall, the sting of defeat,

For even in darkness, a victor's heart can beat.

But the comfort of the known, a siren's sweet song,

Lulls me back to slumber, where I don't belong.

Inertia's embrace, a heavy weight,

Holding me captive, a prisoner of fate.

Yet, a flicker remains, a spark in the dark,

A whisper of courage, a faint, beating spark.

Perhaps one day, I'll break the chains,

Embrace the unknown, and defy life's mundane strains.

For even half-hearted, a seed can take root,

Pushing through cracks, towards a world of new fruit.

With trembling hands, I'll reach for the sun,

And learn to sing, though the melody's not quite begun.

So I'll gather my courage, piece by piece,

Embrace the journey, find a little more peace.

Step by hesitant step, towards a brighter light,

And hopefully, one day, my heart will take full flight.