Tigers and Monkeys

You would be terrified to step out of bed if you were me.

It is a feeling that happens every second of my life.

The thing most people would think isn’t what happens.

They think that I am scared to see the people who call me a freak.

I’m really petrified to look in the mirror and see where the real demons hide.

So, I smile, so big that my cheeks become round, and the corners near my eyes wrinkle.

All in order to keep my pride.

What they don’t see, is the circus.

They don’t see the monkeys that are trying to peel the years off of my life like a banana.

They don’t see that the tiger, trained to be gentle, attacks the one who trains it.

Now, open up your mind and imagine.

Being paralyzed by the fear of going to sleep because that means that you have to get up and tuck those demons away.

Imagine that you are so close to not being able to breathe.

You tuck those demons away.

And hope to last at least one more day.