If;

If.

as in 'if only he had loved her',

and

if only I had reached her in time

if only before;

before.

If.

as in 'if I get an A on the next test, can I get a dog?'

and

if I wear makeup he'll notice me

if I stay quiet, they won't find me;

Hush.

If.

as in 'what if,'

and

what if they see me cry

what if I lose you;

I can't lose you too.

If.

as in what if this and what if that.

and

the singular source of hope

what if I survived

what if I kept going

but

what if one day

I stopped

breathing?