I Stayed Too Long

I gave you every soft part of me

The ones I swore I’d protect

I kept saying “this will get better”

Like hope was a debt I still owed

I learned how to read your moods

Before I learned how to rest

I called it love, called it loyalty

Never called it what it was — neglect And maybe it’s my fault

For loving like this

For thinking pain meant commitment

For thinking if I held on harder

You’d finally choose me back

I stayed too long

I loved too hard

I fought for us while you fell apart

I broke myself just to keep you whole

Now I don’t recognize my soul

If you ever loved someone

Who couldn’t love you the same

You know this weight

You know this ache

You know how breathing feels like blame

I stopped talking about how I felt

Didn’t wanna be “too much”

I swallowed words like broken glass

Just to keep your fragile trust

Every goodbye felt temporary

Every silence felt like truth

I kept waiting for you to need me

Like that would make the hurt worth it too

And I don’t hate you

That’s the worst part

I just hate who I became

Someone who begged to be enough

For someone who never stayed

I stayed too long

I loved too hard

I fought for us while you fell apart

I broke myself just to keep you whole

Now I don’t recognize my soul

If you’ve ever laid awake at night

Wondering why you weren’t enough

This song is for the ones

Who tried to love

And still got left with nothing but the cut

Bridge (drop everything, heartbeat pace)

I didn’t wanna die

I just didn’t wanna feel this

I didn’t wanna disappear

I just wanted the pain to stop

I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING I HAD

EVERY PIECE, EVERY CHANCE

AND YOU STILL WALKED AWAY

LIKE I WAS EASY TO LOSE

I stayed too long

I lost myself

Trying to be someone else

If loving you means hating me

Then let this be my honesty

To anyone holding on right now

Afraid of being alone

You’re not weak for loving deep

You’re not wrong for letting go

I’m still here

Even if it hurts

Even if I shake when I breathe

If you hear this and feel seen

Then maybe staying was worth something to me