On the outside,
I am happy and spirited,
loving and accepting,
excitable and curious,
On the outside,
I am happy to be me,
content and carefree,
I take things the way they are given to me.
This is all I want people to see.

But there is a part of me
I have locked away,
hidden the key,
put a wall up,
and barred the way to,
just to see if anyone
cares enough to break through,
to the inside.

And on the inside,
I am frustrated and confused,
begrudging and fearful,
On the inside,
I question if who I am,
is who I want to be,
If I am good enough,
I am uncertain of my decisions,
I feel things too deeply,
And I want to throw caution to the wind.
I’m afraid of taking risks,
but also afraid not to.
My own thoughts perplex me,
especially when I think with my inside.