I notice it in the flicker of your eyes
how they brighten for others,
how laughter spills and smiles bloom so freely…
when it’s not with me.

With me,
you descend into silence,
a man of withheld words,
your thoughts locked away
like a house with curtains drawn.

I try to find myself in your quiet,
but it feels less like peace,
and more like absence.
A presence endured,
a tolerated shadow beside you.

And I can’t shake the feeling
that I’m only here
because leaving
would mean leaving her too.
That I’m the compromise,
the choice you endure
for the sake of your daughter.

So I move through our days
like a tenant awaiting eviction,
longing for a brightness in your gaze
that belongs only to me.

It hurts to wonder
if I’m desired
or simply a placeholder for the life you really want.
A body you settle beside
while your heart
wanders off without me.