The more I love, the more I risk

Within the girl you know

     is a thousand more you don’t,

             each one carrying layers

       of love, though you might not see it.

   For it comes out as fear. Fear of:

         Rejection,

                    Losing you,

                                 You, not enough,

                 It not working,

                                Me, not enough,

    Death, 

        Moving,

              Falling apart—

                         Again, again.

      Failure,

              Success,

                   Stagnation.

              

      & Silence,

          &  Talking too much.

  Or not speaking up.

         Saying the wrong things,

                       Saying the right things,

             The truth,

           And the lies,

    Yelling,                   crying,

       Even fearing a laugh,

                                 being too happy—

What if the end is near?

                               What if it never started?