safe

safe.
sobbing softly and alone.
alone and wondering
worrying.
but safe, my heart back
inside of my chest, hidden
by my body, by me.

I used to wear my heart
on my sleeve
until i had to gather back the
broken pieces
and now nothing is the same.

it's different
giving your heart away, losing
it and having it carelessly taken
and
discarded as if i had
another, one to spare.
I will give it to you gladly
willingly -- and all of it
but don't
lose.forget.take it for granted. That's
important.

i've promised myself, now, to
look before i leap. To
see if my heart is -- if i am
--wanted.
How -- to give myself away without
throwing
myself away. Because the difference
is real. That's
important.

But to love is to play the fool and
to love truly.deeply.thoroughly is to
love wastefully;

my heart already in pieces and
in this brokenness it is, perhaps,
more whole.

But not safe. That's
important.

Living is a risky business.