By My Side (poem)

A poem about the need for independence in a relationship

And here we stand on the edge of the world,
Doesn’t it look so small from here?
Paling into insignificance next to everything I feel.
If you take my hand,
Don’t be scared if I pull away,
It’s not that I don’t want you to stay,
But I need to know
I can stand alone,
Even if you’re by my side

And I’ve been accused of being heartless,
Been told that I’m ever so cruel,
It’s not that I don’t know love,
But I need to know it’s true
I don’t need dependence,
And I don’t want to feel alone,
I can face a million battles on my own,
But it doesn’t mean that I don’t want you to be there when I get home
I need to know I can run away
And still you’ll stay by my side