for so long
they’ve told you who to be:
don’t take it too personally
don’t cry too much
don’t dwell on it
don’t worry be happy
keep it all inside under cover
don’t talk about it
stop crying
be quiet
go outside and play
put down that book
put down that pen
get out of your head
listen to me
maybe lose some weight
today you shrug off those expectations
like a fleece coat you’ve been wearing
for too many summers
this is how
you shed the weight of expectation
This is an excerpt from the book of poetry, this is how you live, available in both ebook and paperback form.
(Photo by Brian Ceccato on Unsplash)
