If it’s what you say

It must be true,

So go on, feel free,

Say all the things that you want to.

I’ll just sit here,

Eyes open but

mouth sewn and zipped,

Because god forbid

I call you out on your shit.

If I utter a single word to refute,

Press unmute,

Dare to look you in the eye,

I’m met with uproar—

Or worse, dead silence.

Like “fuck, they ruined

the goddamn party again,

Would’ve been fun

if they’d stayed quiet.”

You didn’t notice

the balloons

wheezing out their air

Long before

I stepped into the room.

You didn’t notice

because you didn’t care,

because you didn’t want to.

You didn’t notice

the conversation

turn double-edged,

Slicing through

each bubble of speech.

You didn’t notice

because it’s not your moral pledge,

You didn’t notice because

People agreed.

But just because it sounds like everyone’s laughing doesn’t mean the joke was funny.

Just as saying “I love you” doesn’t mean that _you_ love _me_.

I shouldn’t have to

recount back

the times you stepped the line,

You should know,

You should remember,

Every time that you crossed mine.

And it hurts, _it does_

And it’s such a shame,

Because I respected you,

Was it foolish I expected the same?