I am told to hide,
To keep me safe.
To protect me from,
The hateful spikes,
That already smother my skin.

For their sake,
To simplify,
So they won't be confused,
Or so they won't disown,
I keep truth muffled within my heartbeat.

To make it easier,
I live this lie,
Allow my soul to weep,
In silence.

As the seasons change,
I cannot.

I can never flower,
Never blossom,
Nor cast aside my past.

Instead,
I allow my true face,
To be covered,
As snow blankets the ground,
(Or once did).

Instead,
My own character is frozen,
In place.

For I am told,
That to live safely in the dark,
Is preferable,
To living freely in the light,
Because that way:
"You won't get hurt."

Well,

I would take,
The pain of whatever tortures,
The human mind can design,
If it meant I could be,
Who I am,
Who I want to be,
Without deception,
Without fear,
And without compromise.

But that is not good enough.

So I hide.