• My head hangs low,
    Watching my feet shuffle in tow,
    Mind racing- tears churning- just another normal day
    Having to listen to what all the other people say.

    I’ve heard it before, same as the rest:
    “Hold your head high, and do your best”
    But what if my neck has cracked under the strain?
    What if not attempting is what’s keeping me sane?

    I know what comes next, I’m not so naïve
    As the tears fall: “What are you crying about? Just breathe.”
    And I want to scream it in your face, but my lips can barely move
    Maybe if you were me, I’d have nothing to prove

    Then comes the worst part, because I know it’s true
    “Tons of people have it worse than you”
    And that hits me hard, tears up my heart
    Because now I think, it’s just me- tearing myself apart

    Here comes the funny part, the part I can’t stand
    “You’re beautiful, smart, and nice” as they hold my hand
    It makes my mask sprinkle back into place
    Because you wouldn’t say that- if you were really looking at my face

    And this is my problem- the one I can’t solve
    As my smiling mask reattaches itself “See now? I knew I could help resolve”
    Your happy self turns to leave
    And I’m back to being barely able to breathe

    Head hanging low, turning back to my life
    Feet shuffling in tow, feeling the looks hitting like a knife
    Mind racing- tears churning- another normal day
    Listening to what people have to say, in the common-day hallway

    Don’t feel awful; don’t look upon this with scorn
    This has been what’s meant to happen, ever since I was born
    I don’t know if it was ever supposed to get this bad
    Or if it’s simply all my fault, for allowing myself to feel this sad

    And of course the last part, from the lone passer-byer
    “Maybe you should go get some real help; there are people out there for hire”
    I’m too tired now, too lonely, too blue, so I’ll just shake my head to you-
    I don’t think one person can fix what a whole life-time of people has said to be true.