Forgive Me If I’m Still Healing From All The Ones Who Came Before You

Forgive me if I sometimes don’t believe
everything good you tell me,
for it took a long time for me to learn
that maybe I’m not as damaged as I thought I was.

Forgive me if I don’t trust you right away
for I’m still mending the broken pieces
and trying to forget about the tragedy
of all the ones who came before you.

Forgive me if I say I love too much
but don’t show much at all.
I feel like people leave when I start falling
and I don’t want you to leave just yet.

Forgive me if I need reassurance.
Forgive me if my love is weak now.
I forgot that it could be safe.
I forgot that I don’t always have to cry.

Forgive me if I’m a little bit scared,
it’s not your job to fix me.
I’m trying to open my heart again
but I’m still figuring it out how.

Forgive me if I’m still healing.
Forgive me if I’m still hurting.
I know pain too well
and I don’t want to cause you any.

Just forgive me.
I’ll come around, I promise.
Once my heart beats again,
once it remembers how to love again.

Rania Naim is a poet and author of the new book All The Words I Should Have Said, available here.