By Me
Dear Society,
You say to have your own opinions;
But to not share them.
To love your body;
But, with the acknowledgment of its flaws and limits.
To have your own style;
But, be prepared for judgment that follows.
To do your best;
But—god forbid—you flaunt it.
To not be insecure;
But you shouldn’t be full of yourself either.
To be yourself;
But only if it doesn’t offend others.
I’ve learned that you are something
I try to escape from…
But no matter how far I run
I find myself running in circles
Back to the idea of you…
Sometimes I question myself
Why I do,
And I think that it’s because
I partially find comfort in you…
Knowing that you’re there,
Whether that be your rooting for me to fail
Or you giving me a false reality,
That always leaves me to compare…