<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Poem by <strong><span class="has-inline-color has-luminous-vivid-orange-color">Refilwe J Mokgatlenyane</span></strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} -->
<p class="has-text-align-center"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-couple-with-their-eyes-closed-facing-each-other-in-front-of-dark-background-3754270/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Photo by Ba Tik from Pexels</a></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I bought you flowers, and you sent them back<br>Got you a necklace and said it doesn’t look good on your neck<br>I bought you an impeccable dinner dress and you told me you hate the color black<br>Tell me, how much more do I need to do for you to appreciate that my efforts are on the right track<br>I told you I love you the time I took you out on a date<br>I never heard you say it back, and you even left earlier saying you don’t wanna go home late<br>I looked you in the eyes throughout the time we talked, but your eyes were just focused on the food inside your plate<br>I told you I like books, I read a lot but at times I do basketball or go out to skate<br>You told me you love cooking, and basketball too, I even asked you to become my training mate</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I always made-up time for you, but every time you told me you’re busy I had to understand<br>You told me you had a lot of assignments when I asked you to go for a picnic that Saturday but hours later, I bumped into you at the mall with your friend<br>You apologized and I looked away, but I never forgot that I saw that boy holding your hand</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I cried for nights wondering what more of myself I have to offer<br>Exploring my mind for answers but all it gave me back were blank spaces<br>I loved you with everything I had, with a heart as pure as white daisies<br>But all you had to give me back was doubt to my mind, having to think that I wasn’t enough<br>I loved you still, even though every single thought I had every night made realize that the love I was giving was clearly not the one you gave back<br>I loved you still, but loving you trapped me and suffocated me to my demise<br>It killed me every night, but I woke up the next morning and still died again the same night<br>Loving you felt heavy and painful like I was fighting a big giant, but I still refused to give up the fight<br>Loving you led to my defeat, in the world of love I died, and I perished under your love<br>Loving you ended me.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->