In private,
thoughts creep up
and tell me I am
inadequate
unequal
undeserving
they tell me I am
worthless
useless
fake
and I grin,
I bare it
because I
think
hope
wish
they are wrong
but they're so persistent,
so very convincing,
maybe they're right
if I can't even be alone
with the thoughts in my own head,
how do I convince myself
otherwise?