tired of dispelling everyone else's anxieties
whilst i wallow in my own
alone
my fear of showing emotion
hurts me more than i've ever known

solitude calls to me
self-pity cloaks me
as i drown in my inability to express my feelings
for i've figured that i equate emotions to weakness
i refuse to embrace vulnerability
and, therefore, i am weak.

inadequacy
my greatest fear
but i refuse to let anyone share in my tears
for fear of burdening them
with the shadows that thrive in my mind
but still they encumber me with their pains and fears,
and i press on
never showing this deficiency in my make up
this flaw in my soul

still, i press on...