I waited for you to fade
but you didn’t.
I waited, and waited
for you, to dull, to grey;
but you didn’t.

I thought you would, I
had counted on it, I
had based my coward’s exit
on it –
but you didn’t.

Here
all these years later
all these years, wasted
your colours remain
as bright, as unequalled.

I know now –
your love would have been greater
than the sum of pain.
Hindsight, like a fool’s cage;
Inescapable regret
incurable decay.

Don’t jump, stay safe:
I thought that you would fade.