CHOOSE JUST ME

 I told you once—no, many times—

That just your smile can soften mines.
You light the skies within my soul,
You make the scattered pieces whole.

I said, “Be free, go laugh, go roam,
My heart is yours, no matter home.”
But oh, the lies that kindness speaks,
While love, in silence, softly breaks.

They see you, and they cheer your name,
But I just want us, not the fame.
You laugh too loud, you stay too long—
I smile, but everything feels wrong.

I said, “It’s fine, you’re loved, you’re blessed,”
But envy curled inside my chest.
For every friend that takes your time,
Steals one more dream that once was mine.

I want you close, not just in thought,
Not just in mem’ries I have caught.
I want you here—your voice, your eyes—
Your every silence, breath, and sighs.

But love’s not chains or heavy stone,
And hearts aren’t things we get to own.
I’ll bear this truth, though it cuts deep:
Some loves we hold, and some we keep.

So go, be light, and spread your flame,
I’ll always whisper still your name.
And if you ever turn to see,
Know someone’s praying, “Choose just me.”

by joshua patrick magezi.