Afraid to Love

A poem for anyone who has love to give, but is too afraid to give it; who holds back on love because they don't want to know what it might entail:

Love flickers within you, but you put it out. 

Its light affrights you because you’re okay without. 

What it might reveal, you don’t want to know.

Love surges within you, but you restrain it. 

Its gush pushes against you because you can’t contain it.

What it might pour, you don’t want to know.

Love rebels within you, but you silence its noise. 

Its message is lost on you because you muffle its voice. 

What it might say, you don’t want to know.

Love fights within you, but you repress it.

It chafes you internally because you fail to express it.

What it might dare achieve, you don’t want to know.

It gasps within you, but you slaughter it.

It dries out because you refuse to water it.

What it might live to give, you don’t want to know.

You don't want to know because you're afraid to love.

You don’t indulge because you fear its shove.

What it might do to you, you don’t want to know.

You don’t love because you’re afraid to care.

You don’t love because you fear despair.

But what love might heal, you don’t want to know.

What it might reveal, you don’t want to know.

Yugal Sehgal writes about life, mindfulness, and people. He lives in India. Follow him and @drawcuments on Instagram.