You’ve Got Only One Life

A Poem

Photo by Ethan Haddox on Unsplash

he told me he had problems —
and, oh, i couldn’t fathom the depths
of how far he could fall
with no parachute.

he told me there was no crime,
not when he was right as rain with me,
but i saw the signs in his dark eyes
that there was a scheme at work.

and, oh, honey, you’ve got only one life,
so why waste it on him?

and, oh, honey, you’ve got only one life,
so why do you love him so?

he told me there were things
he couldn’t tell anyone else,
and i thought i was special
that he’d spill the beans to me.

he told me there were no worries,
how the money was clean
and how his love was true —
but i shouldn’t have believed a word.

and, oh, darling, you’ve got only one life,
so why are you with him?

and, oh, darling, you’ve got only one life,
so why do you stay by his side?

he told me he regretted his choices,
but he still made all his mistakes
till our words ran black and blue
like bruises that wouldn’t fade.

he told me to pray hard and often,
but i didn’t know if he meant
for me or for him —
and i still don’t know.

and, oh, sweetheart, you’ve got only one life,
so why did you do this?

and, oh, sweetheart, you’ve got only one life,
so why did you run it dry?

and, oh, i loved you so, i loved you so —
but it never mattered at all.

and, oh, i loved you so, i loved you so —
but it wasn’t enough to free you of your sins.