i am in love with you

six words reduced to
three words reduced to
nothing through overuse
& yet

i could
never say them
could i

strange

to think i loved you
without shame
without fear
without knowing

& they saw
& he saw
& she saw
& you saw
& everyone knew

except for me

blindfolded
naïve
child

i never knew
until you
left a hole
inside me