Poem: To Show Or Not To Show

“Still your voice”
They say to me.
“Don’t share
Don’t trust
Don’t risk.
Hide the darkness
Or lose hope of love
Friends and family
All you hold dear.”
I ponder and reflect
Pray and wrestle
In the end
My answer remains the same.
“I believe in
Honesty and openness.
A burden shared
Is far less weight.
Revealing my struggles
Takes strength untold.
A risk?
Yes
Vulnerability is risky
Risk I gladly take.
If darkness scares away
All hope of love
Then it’s not love I want.
I want honest love
I want open love
I want love that sees the dark
And still shouts “Yes!”.
I regret the worry it causes
In friends and family
Yet they can choose
Not to see
Not to follow.
Sharing my struggles
Helps me
Helps others
May help many more to come.
So I take the risk
I share the pain
I do not give into fear.
If by doing so
I stand alone
Then stand alone
I shall.