the prospect of death enraptured him/corey's poetry anthology

love wasn't enough

i loved you.

that's why i let you
get away with so much.

that's why i placed
my heart in your hands,
watched as you squeezed,
watched it drip, drip, drip

i told myself it was fine.

i pushed myself
to be what i thought you'd want
to do what it took to keep you

i didn't want to lose you.

you wanted me.
i'd never felt wanted before.
that's why i felt so much pressure
to make sure i was keeping you happy.

that's what i thought love was.

i thought love meant sacrificing myself
to keep others happy.
that's what i'd done for so long, after all
that's what felt normal.

i never thought love could be any different.

but love isn't about changing yourself
it isn't about being what they want
if it's love, they want you how you are
and you need to realize that.

if that means you don't give them something they want
if that means you have differing opinions
if that means you're imperfect

if they love you, they won't mind.
if they love you, they won't expect perfect.

but sometimes, love isn't enough.
sometimes you can love someone
with your whole heart and soul
but it just isn't meant to be.

sometimes, you won't love each other
in quite the same way
sometimes you'll want different things
and there's no compromise to be made

sometimes, love isn't enough.

and i loved you, wholeheartedly,
i wanted you forever
but it was never meant to be

even when you hurt me
and made me cry
(so many times)
i loved you
i wanted you to be mine

but you,
you always had an end date
"all good things end eventually,"
you'd told me,
as i cried at the thought of you leaving.
"best to enjoy it while it lasts."

i knew you were going to leave
and i left first

i loved you
but i couldn't keep you

you were never meant for me
and i was never meant for you
but we loved one another, for a time

i wonder if you'll ever love someone else
i wonder what that would look like for you