Acting
by Ahmad ***
I feel like sometimes we are very good at acting
Very good at putting on a show
When we are really feeling something else inside
We teach ourselves
That certain feelings
Certain things are unnacceptable
We are supposed to be civil
We are supposed to put on a good face
We are supposed to hide the negative feelings
The dark feelings that well up inside of us
If we don't accept ourselves for who we are
For better or for worst
We will keep acting
Keep playing the part that everyone else has for us
Afraid to stop acting
And to live our own lives
And to keep us from truly expressing
The uniqueness that everyone has inside

We wrote prayers
The written lyrics of our heart
Cursive words
Hugging perforated edges
Of loose leaf love
After our souls delivered
The message to a larger hope
In floating lovely regard
We then neatly folded the edges
Of the secret need
That had been in hiding
Much like an unnacceptable
Anne Frank diary
From a past snarky society
And we placed our individual
Sacred script
In one another's palms
As a promise to never allow
Something so beautiful
In a tiny attic again