Songbird (Won't You Sing?)

I can’t tell you.

I can’t say it out loud.

I’ll whisper in the night,

when the wind is high.

I’ll write it into

every poem I breathe.

but I can’t admit this -

this thing 

to you. 

The truth is,

it’s hard to face.

This realization I’ve made.

And it tears me apart,

but I can’t tell you.

Because I am not worthy.

I’ll tell it in halves

to those I trust,

but never in full.

Because I can’t say it,

can’t risk you overhearing.

I turn it into 

a work of fiction,

in the hopes that

someday it’ll fix it.

Because I’m sitting here,

pen to paper,

with an ever-growing list

of pathetic poetry. 

I can’t tell you.

Can’t say it out loud.

Because I can’t lose you.

I’ll tell the bird,

nestled in the tree for winter,

everything I’ve had

hidden away.

Everything bursting

at the shoddy seams of my heart. 

And I’ll smile at you,

tell you I hate you,

tell everyone I dislike you,

tell myself I don’t love you.

Because I can’t admit it.

Not to you.

Not to our friends.

Not even to myself.

Because I can’t face

that rejection.

The only one that knows the truth,

wakes me each morning

with it’s song. 

But come July,

she’ll be gone.

And all I’ll have left,

is my denial,

my tears,

and a stack of poems,

that you’ll never see. 

Reviews

[The Nude Writer]

Another beautiful poem. Is the bird someone in particular? Or just a bird?

[Audri Carlevaro]

Thank you!! And it's an actual bird. There's a nest right outside my balcony on a tree.

[The Nude Writer]

Wonderful inspiration :)