There is pain
at the center of my chest 
it reaches for cold,
anything to soothe the fire
you had no intention of lighting.

Tell me, 
what is the antidote
to loneliness?
To rejection?

You do not reach out.
It hurts more than if
you’d simply write 
to tell me
I am not the one for you.

I am burning, burning,
don’t you see?

Moments and meaning and time
swirling around, 
wasted.

Wasted on 
thinking of a love
that never began
or lasted
long enough 
for it to burn.