Never Tell Your Love 2 Poem by Mohammad Yousef

By Mohammad A. Yousef

In the quiet lunchroom,
where laughter rises like bread,
you sit across the table,
our eyes flickering—
sparks igniting unspoken words,
a fire caught in the throat.

You wear that old band shirt,
its colors fading like secrets,
and I wonder if you know
the way my heart beats
when you talk about your dreams.
Your laughter rings like a bell,
echoing through the hallways of my mind,
and I keep my smile close, a candle,
afraid to blow the flame too hard.

What if I told you
how the sunlight dances
in your hair,
turning ordinary afternoons
into warm golden hours?
What if I whispered
my secret to the wind,
only to have it swirl back,
mocking and teasing,
the words lost like whispers
in the crowded noise of our friends?

I watch you lean back in your chair,
stretching out like a cat in sunbeams,
carefree, as the world spins on,
and the thought of you
is the note I hum quietly
beneath my breath
when life feels heavy,
when everything else is loud.

But love is a dance,
a song that seems to linger,
and in this duet of silence,
to spill those words feels like
unraveling threads sewn tight—
the sweater of friendship,
torn and frayed,
the moment forever changed.

The fear grips me,
like winter's chill,
what if you laugh,
heart so untouched,
or worse—
look at me with eyes
that say,
"We should stay friends"?
I tuck the love deep
in the pocket of my heart,
a treasure hidden from view—
and I never tell.

So we share stories,
build dreams into towers
that touch the sky,
knowing I will carry
the weight of this secret,
like a stone in my pocket,
durable, familiar, but heavy.

In the night, I scream to the stars,
their twinkles a flicker of hope,
knowing one day
I'll toss away caution
and let the feelings spill,
but for now,
I hold onto your smile,
to the stories,
to the way you make the air crackle,
and I never tell.

Love stays like a shadow,
quiet but always near,
an ache, a warmth,
a delicate dance in our laughter,
and sometimes,
that's enough for me—
for now,
I cherish what we have,
the unseen thread between us.
I'll weave my dreams
with threads of your laughter
and in silence,
my heart holds you close
always,
for now,
I never tell.