the hand not taken

we make mistakes.
we do things that change
our lives forever,
not for
the better but for the worse.
regrets
are sharp stones we carry
in our mouths
and can't spit out.
what could have been
rattles
around in the iron
cage of
our minds. always there,
always reminding us of
the hand not taken,
the vows not spoken.
we stay lost and mired in
the fog of doubt.