When You Didn’t Show

I watched you

play

that dumb-ass instrument,

Sat through every song,

every note you

missed,

Clapped like you

hung

the moon in the sky,

Even when I had no clue

what the hell you played that night.

I watched you chase

that ball around,

Cheered your name till my voice gave out,

Rain on my hoodie,

cold in my seat,

Just so you

could look up and see me.

But when it was my turn,

where were you?

Funny how you always had something else to do.

I learned your schedule,

learned your dreams,

You couldn't even learn what mattered to me.

I was in the crowd when you needed a face,

You couldn't spare me ten minutes of your day.

I made your moments

feel like gold,

While mine were moments you couldn't be bothered to hold.

So don't tell me

that you cared,

You don't get credit for feelings you never shared.

I showed up when nobody else would—

You couldn't even show up when you should.

And that's the part that hurts the most:

I knew every version of you I was supposed to know.

But you never knew me at all,

You just liked having someone there when you played your part.