Hurt

When the words don’t come,
When the tears won’t fall,
This is when I hurt worst.

When I try to reach out,
But have no idea what to say,
That is when I hurt worst.

When I shy away in awkwardness,
Returning to silence and hiding,
That is when I hurt worst.

When I misstep and fall,
When I break but stand anyway,
That is when I hurt worst.

When I can’t say the word “need,”
But only that word defines my state,
That is when I hurt worst.

When all I want is to be held,
When the asking is done all wrong,
That is when I hurt worst.

When I want to collapse,
To be weak and frail and broken, but can’t,
That is when I hurt worst.

When everything goes sideways,
Every word said is the wrong word,
That is when I hurt worst.

When I finally give up,
When I withdraw,
That is when I hurt worst.

How does one ask for love?
How does one make that okay?
And not hurt worse for the asking?