LOVING AND LONGING to be outside
Yet always hiding away from judgmental eyes.

Craving contact and people to know
Yet hiding away to escape the judgment flow.

Dreaming of being accepted and wanted as a friend,
Yet hiding away in fear that I’ll be rejected yet again.

Wanting to soar, to see myself fly
Yet hiding away, dreading my fall from the sky.

Desiring to speak out, to make my voice heard,
Yet afraid of backlash drowning out every single word.

Longing to paint coloured pictures from me,
Yet hiding away, too afraid of hurtful words should anyone ever see.

Needing to write, to let my words flow,
Yet hiding away, afraid there’s nowhere for them to go.

Hiding away for as long as I can remember,
All the yearlong, January through December.

So tired of hiding the best parts of myself,
Yet so afraid to discover they’re better left…