3. being strong is hard

it’s hard when the
world’s always on
about how you’ve
gotta be strong,
when all that you
wanna do is cry.
you wanna break,
just for a minute,
let all the feelings
and the emotions
come flowing out,
but the world says
that you shouldn’t.

they say “hey, man,
stay strong, you’re
not supposed to let
that emotion show.”
brave and unafraid?
so you’re saying that
i should put on a face?
what if i’m tired of it?
pretending i’m strong
and acting like i’m so
desensitized to it all,
when i sit in my room,
lost in thought over the
stress the world places
on my small shoulders?

my anxiety gets the best
of me, and it hurts when
i’m told to grow a pair,
shake it off and act like
i just don’t care, when
i’m dying on the inside.
i even get told i won’t
make it in the world if
i act as sensitive as i
do today, heart races
even thinking about it.
it’s just who i am, and
it’s hard to change it,
especially when it gets
thrown at me like this.

i want a break from the fear.