By The Way

By the way,
I never meant to leave things unsaid,
But silence grew where love once bled,
Each word I swallowed, another stone,
And now I stand here, all alone.

By the way,
I never learned to let you in,
A fortress built to hide my sin,
I thought the distance made me strong,
But it only proved how I was wrong.

By the way,
I saw the tears you tried to hide,
Each one a dagger to my pride,
Yet still, I turned and walked away,
Chasing shadows, led astray.

By the way,
The nights are colder now you're gone,
An empty bed, a hollow dawn,
I hear your name in every song,
And wonder where I truly belong.

By the way,
If I could turn back time again,
Undo the hurt, erase the pain,
I’d hold you close, I’d make you stay,
But all I have is this… by the way.