The Price

Open up your heart,
She banged on the door,
The pain of striking it
Shot up her arm and
Still she struck it
Again.

To her, the pain
Was nothing in comparison
To the pain she
Felt in her heart.

A pain that wormed
Its way into the
Tight spaces in her
Chest and squeezed
The one organ that
Made life possible.

I love you, you know.
Her striking the door
Ceased and in the
Silence, she spoke
Her truth.

It made her feel
Naked, her skin
Exposed to his
Possible rejection.

The door opened and
He stood in the doorway,
His eyes searching her face,
Her soul.

Do you really?
Say it again,
When she did,
He smiled.

Taking her hand, he
Pulled her into an
Embrace.

I don't love you,
His words were
Whispers in her ear.

He stepped back
And closed the door.
She stood, jaw slack,
Spirit crushed.

Was this the price
Of being vulnerable,
Of loving a man,
Of walking in her truth?
Was it worth the price.

Turning around and
Walking away from
His front door, she
Closed her heart,
And with it the
Pain. For her,
The price was too high.