poem
poem i found once a long time ago in a book. i recently found the paper i had it written on, and decided to post it before it got lost again.
Title/author unknown by me
Don't be fooled by me
Don't be fooled by the mask I wear
For I wear a mask
I wear a thousand masks
Masks I am afraid to take off
And none of them is me
Pretending is an art that is second nature of me
But don't be fooled
...I give the impression that I am secure
That all is sunny and unruffled with me
Within as well as without
That confidence is my name and coolness is my game
That the waters are calm and I'm in command
And I need noone
But don't believe me, please don't
I idly chatter with you in the suave tones of surface talk
I tell you everything that is nothing
Nothing of what is crying within me
So when I'm going through my routine
Don't be fooled by what I am saying
Please listen carefully and try to hear
What I am not saying
What I'd like to be able to say
What, for survival, I need to say
But I can't say
I dislike the hiding
Honestly I do
I dislike the phony, superficial games I am playing
I'd like to be genuine, and spontaneous, and me
But you have to help me
You have to help me by holding out your hand
Even when thats the last thing I seem to want or need
Each time you are kind, and gentle, and encouraging
Each time you try to understand because you really care
My heart begins to grow wings
Very small wings
Very feeble wings
But wings
With your sensitivity, and sympathy, and power of understanding
I can make it
You can breathe life into me
It will not be easy for you
A long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls
But love is stronger than strong walls
And therein lies my hope
Please try to beat down those walls
With firm hands, but with gentle hands
For a child is very sensitive
And I am a child
Who am I you may wonder
For I am every man
Every woman
Every child...
Every human you meet.
Title/author unknown by me
Don't be fooled by me
Don't be fooled by the mask I wear
For I wear a mask
I wear a thousand masks
Masks I am afraid to take off
And none of them is me
Pretending is an art that is second nature of me
But don't be fooled
...I give the impression that I am secure
That all is sunny and unruffled with me
Within as well as without
That confidence is my name and coolness is my game
That the waters are calm and I'm in command
And I need noone
But don't believe me, please don't
I idly chatter with you in the suave tones of surface talk
I tell you everything that is nothing
Nothing of what is crying within me
So when I'm going through my routine
Don't be fooled by what I am saying
Please listen carefully and try to hear
What I am not saying
What I'd like to be able to say
What, for survival, I need to say
But I can't say
I dislike the hiding
Honestly I do
I dislike the phony, superficial games I am playing
I'd like to be genuine, and spontaneous, and me
But you have to help me
You have to help me by holding out your hand
Even when thats the last thing I seem to want or need
Each time you are kind, and gentle, and encouraging
Each time you try to understand because you really care
My heart begins to grow wings
Very small wings
Very feeble wings
But wings
With your sensitivity, and sympathy, and power of understanding
I can make it
You can breathe life into me
It will not be easy for you
A long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls
But love is stronger than strong walls
And therein lies my hope
Please try to beat down those walls
With firm hands, but with gentle hands
For a child is very sensitive
And I am a child
Who am I you may wonder
For I am every man
Every woman
Every child...
Every human you meet.