It’s the kind of force that crushes you to the floor,

Like a whirlwind battering you down, down, down.

A pain that drains the strength from your limbs;

Pulls the joy from your smiles.

Then there’s the fear;

The fear of speaking, the fear of being you.

The knowledge that you can scream,

And scream,

But no one will hear.

And then there’s the mask you wear,

Because people don’t want to see that.