Not Once

You call me faker now

Like anger changes facts

Like saying it out loud

Will give you back what passed

You had her in the light

You had her in plain sight

She called your name for years

You did not stop once

You wore your freedom proud

Like that excused the cost

You let her carry hope

Until her hope ran thin

Now suddenly you burn

Now suddenly you see

What stood beside you then

Was never yours to leave

You call me faker

But I was real enough to stay

You call me faker

But I did not turn away

Rose asked for something honest

Not speed not smoke not maybe

You had your chance in daylight

I stayed when it got heavy

Do not rewrite this now

Do not rename your loss

You do not get to ache

And call that love at last

She was not yours to miss

Only when she moved on

She was a heart you heard

And answered with escape

I saw what you ignored

The tremble in her hands

The smile that held too much

The kindness under strain

You heard devotion sing

And let it fade to wind

I heard one wounded truth

And answered it with mine

You call me faker

But I was real enough to stay

You call me faker

But I did not turn away

Rose asked for something steady

A hand that would not vanish

You gave her open distance

I gave her somewhere safe

Rose is not your echo

Not some red blur you lost

Not some warm place in memory

You visit when it hurts

She is the heart you missed

When all she asked was truth

So do not come here late

And dress regret as love

You had your chance

Not once

You had her trust

Not once

You had her heart

Not once

The way she needed

You call me faker

Then hear me answer once

A fake thing does not hold

When the room goes cold

A fake thing does not stay

Past midnight into dawn

A fake thing does not say

Her name and mean it whole

You call me faker

But I was real enough to stay

You call me faker

But I did not turn away

And when Rose stopped running

You finally learned the truth

Not that I was faker

That you were too late too