All the Things I Should’ve Told You
My sorrow starts as a steady stream
until the tears run like rapids,
spilling . . .
bursting . . .
gushing . . .
And I can’t dam the grief.
Because, you see, there are things I should’ve told you.
I should’ve told you about your eyes
And the way they fluttered
(So arresting
So alluring)
Deep pools of chocolate.
I should’ve told you about your big heart
And how charitable you were,
Replacing worn shoes
Paying for her night school
Handing me that locket.
I should’ve told you about your smile
And how it lit up the whole room.
A contagious smile
A radiant smile
A forget-about-the-bad-in-the-world smile.
I should’ve told you about the boy who loved you,
About the look in his adoring eyes.
I should’ve told you to stay the night again.
To braid my hair one more time.
To snuggle in my bed again.
To fall asleep on my couch one more time.
Oh, I should’ve told you so many things,
But I never did.
So I’m telling you now.
I’m telling you all the things I should’ve told you before.
You had a real laugh.
A hearty laugh.
A don’t-hold-back laugh.
A let-it-fly laugh.
Your hair cascaded down your shoulders,
The waves voluminous,
Billowing
Rippling
A current.
You taught us to do better.
To strive for greatness
To embrace our dreams
To do something that matters.
You were spunky
Yet poised.
You were zealous
Yet gracious.
You had a legacy,
One of heart, style, and smile,
An unforgettable hunger
To change lives.
And so that’s exactly what you did:
You changed our lives.
You stole our hearts.
You taught us unabating love.
So I won’t dam my tears just yet,
And maybe I never will,
Because, sweet girl,
I still have so much more to tell.
An expert editor, seasoned writer, and author-centric marketer, Shayla Raquel works one-on-one with authors and business owners every day. A lifelong lover of books, she has edited over 300 books and has launched several Amazon bestsellers for her clients.
Her award-winning blog teaches new and established authors how to write, publish, and market their books.
She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, The Rotting (in Shivers in the Night), and The Suicide Tree. In her not-so-free time, she acts as organizer for the Yukon Writers’ Society, volunteers at the Oklahoma County Jail, and obsesses over squirrels. She lives in Oklahoma with her two dogs, Chanel and Wednesday.
