I never knew

I never knew

why you always go

running at midnight

with your music loud

over your footsteps

slapping the pavement

to drown out the sound

And how you would drive

hundreds of miles

for a buddy

you barely know

I never knew

why she loves you

and you sometimes love her

but not enough to say

for good

I never knew

when I found you that night

too many drinks in

to remember the sight

of me standing at your door

And the words running

along your chest

the stories

you never said

I never knew why

you never say that you care

but turned around in the dark

to pull me through

I never knew why

I can’t tell you that it matters

that you matter to me

because you will laugh

and maybe take

another step back

to keep your distance

like you always do

And I never knew why

you did that

until I saw these words

painted on your wall:

Fallujah will forever

be a part of you

And all of a sudden

I knew