I did miss you…
from time to time…
I’m not going to lie
it’s the truth
but I’ve been thinking…
(yeah, I know…it’s a dubious habit of mine…)
and I was hit with an epiphany…
certain facts suddenly striking me…
this thing we foolishly called love…
it didn’t fall apart…
it never had solidity
truth drops like a lead balloon
so immense it fills up the room
and I’m forced to make space for it
baby, the reality is this…
what I missed…
never even existed
I did what I always do…
gave everything to you
and you…well…
you used all the right words…
actually…no…let me retract that…
even that’s not right…
take it and strip it…
until all is laid bare
all that time…
the answers were sitting right there
it’s not how you held me…
it’s what you held back…
and it’s not how you knew me…
it’s what you never asked…
like an afterthought…
last entry in your rolladex…
slightly dusty…
but a good backup option…
thinking you always had my number
what happened…
in the moment between…
“I love you…”
and gone?
a ghost in the wind…
leaving me haunted…
wondering…
what did I do wrong?
I would have given much…
to witness your expression…
when you finally turned up…
and I didn’t
I’m wondering did you write this from your daughter’s perspective or a personal experience that told her you understood what she feeling either way a very great write ❤️
When i first wrote this, it was from her perspective. Listening to her talk about it and how she felt about it. It wasn’t until later that I had reason to relate to it as she did. She never saw the poem or heard the song until recently because I didn’t want to scratch the wound. But she’s heard it now. Thank you, Brenda 🧡
“truth drops like a lead balloon
so immense it fills up the room
and I’m forced to make space for it
baby, the reality is this…
what I missed…
never even existed”
Powerfully penned, Willow. Excellent lyrics my friend, especially that “chorus” with the nice hook. Amazing storytelling and the arrangement compliments your words nicely. What’s your daughter think of the tune? Nicely done per usual. Appreciate you.
Damian
My daughter only heard it today and has announced that I should be the official lyricist of her life. It’s finally been long enough that the pain isn’t as fresh, so I let her hear it for the first time. That “chorus” was a recent addition…written from fresh understanding of my own. Thank you, my friend
Dear W,
I could really appreciate the theme of one person doing all the giving and the other person all the taking. Hearing what I want to hear and making up all the rest is a real specialty of mine. Your write has defined those characteristics brilliantly. Hard as it can be to come to the realization of being used the sense of freedom and self awareness and self love is so liberating. Terrific piece. H🌷
My daughter is an amazing woman…just not his amazing. And that’s not his loss or hers. She gained a lot of sense of self from the experience and is a stronger person than she was then. Like her mother, she’s a giver. And that usually involves giving too much leeway and too many chances. Hope dies slowly, I guess. Thank you, Honoria
“It never even existed” well felt that and I am pretty sure a lot of people do… Really good piece.
That good ol’ wishful thinking at its finest. We create something bigger in our minds/hearts than is really there…at least on their part. So when they burst the bubble, it’s shattering on so many levels. Thank you, Fia
Powerful work. Tremendous writing.
Thank you so much, Thomas
There is a fire of honesty and feeling here.
This stood out:
“it’s not how you held me…
it’s what you held back…”
Great work
Regards
James
It’s a hard place to sit but fully enlightening. Thank you, James
Hi Willow!
The poem is great but with the added song, it sounds so smooth. Like velvet.
Just awesome!
When I played it for my daughter the day I posted (first time she’d ever heard it), she said I need to be her official life lyricist. It was way too close to tender wounds for a long time. I couldn’t show until the scars healed. Thank you, Adelphina