Overwhelmed

Deep breaths

Short breaths

Trying all the ways

Everyday.

What’s joy, what’s fear

What’s pain, what’s hope

Every feeling and emotion

Keeps choking your breath.

It’s all overwhelming

Sometimes too much

But you need to go on

You need to hold on.

The world stares at you

In disgust

And disbelief

Everytime you say

‘It’s time to give up.’

‘No you can’t.’

As if life only rewards the strong

But who knows what strength is.

Not you. Not me.

Who knows these highs and lows

These currents of exhaustion

The idea of living lives

That are overwhelming.

Lives that are a bit too much.

All they want you to be

Is a fake version of yourself

To suppress each emotion

All your sorrow and panic

To show up with a smile

With a twinkle in your eyes

Even when your insides

Are burning

Even when you’re anxious

And oh so overwhelmed!

There’s no place here

For people like you

For people like me.