The Crushed and the Candid

Your uttered doubts
utterly destroyed me:
my hope, my faith,
my fragile dreams.

Trembling as you speak—
do you see me standing here?
my hands clenched, my eyes wet?
my mouth open without words?

Once the source of my confidence,
now of second bests and what ifs;
stars seem to explode before me,
replaced with a quiet blackness.

Cannot breathe. Cannot think.
I was never afraid before now,
so certain of your promises –
foolish, of course, but I am young –

but your promises evaporated,
as though they were never made;
your betrayal was never intended,
I know. Still here we are:

the crushed and the candid.