When The Tears Begin

Tonight the darkness lingers longer,

It wraps around my weary soul.

Every breath feels just a little heavier,

Every broken piece refuses to feel whole.

The tears don’t ask for permission.

They simply find their way,

Falling like silent raindrops

On a heart that’s grown so gray.

I wish I knew the words to quiet

The storm inside my mind,

To gather every shattered thought

And leave this ache behind.

Some nights I wear a smile so well

No one would ever see

The battles fought in silence,

Or what this pain has made of me.

The tears keep flowing softly,

Not because I’m weak inside,

But because a heart that’s carried so much

Can no longer always hide.

So if these tears must fall tonight,

I’ll let them tell my story

Not one of giving up,

But of searching for tomorrow’s morning glory.

Maybe dawn will bring a gentler light,

A quieter place to stand.

Until then I’ll hold on,

one heartbeat at a time,

Still reaching with an open hand.