'Sweet Nothing' by Marie-Louise McGuinness

I only said ’I love you’ because you said it first, I couldn’t leave the air empty and say nothing, though nothing would have meant more, nothing would have been the truth, but nothing would have hurt you, nothing would have buried you deep in heavy self doubt, nothing would have pierced you sharp with lightning blue heartache, so I said I loved you, I protected your feelings by not saying nothing and now, despite your words, I know you don’t love me, if you loved me, you’d have said nothing