Pain Poem by E.M McCarry

The rain is falling and so are you
Despite the strength inside of you-
The cords that held you up so long
Are eroding away, and nearly gone.

At times you wonder why you’re alive
Why did you make it so far to want to die
You don’t cry anymore, so people think you’re okay
Yet the truth is…you are fading away

The shades of grey mean nothing to you
Why should it? After all, what could it do?
It’s just an expression, no one understands
Yeah, life could get better, but it could worse instead.

They tell you to stop, to be strong and move on
But how can you do that, when you’ve been broken from being strong?
You’re strength is depleted, you need some rest
But your inner demons don’t listen
They will never give you rest.

You are worth it, though it may not seem so,
And although I’m hypocrite for I don’t see
How I’m worth something, when I can’t even be me.
Yeah, you’re worth it. I wish I could help you see
This is part of humanity, at least I think so
After all, humans help each other
Though we kill each other too.

I’ve always assumed I had to be perfect
I’ve always tried and failed to be so.
I know people see that, and I know they hate me for it.
God, its part of me now
This struggling to be what everyone else wants
And I know you feel it too.

If you are perfect, people won’t worry
They’ll like you
They’ll accept you.
If you are perfect, then you’ll be happy
You’ll be talented
You’ll survive
But if you are perfect
Or at least pretending or trying to be so
People will hate you
They’ll leave you alone.
And yet, we still try to be perfect our best
Society…heh… isn’t it a beast?

There’s always a smile on my face
But that doesn’t mean a thing
Don’t you know that most people hide?
Who they are?

Yeah, I do well in school without trying
But I struggle as well
It’s hidden from you because of my stupid
Acting skills.

I don’t know any of you
And you don’t know me
I’m too shy and too scared to let others truly see me.
I’m not open, and that doesn’t let me see you too.

Are you like me? Do you feel lost and alone?
Drifting, terrified of the dark that you’re living in?
There’s a sea of salt that we’re swimming in
And although our lives are all different
…
Pain is one thing we all have in common.