THE FEAR OF BEING SEEN

The thought of stepping into the light again,
Where eyes can find me, where I cannot hide,
Brings a wave of panic that tightens my chest,
Anxiety ripping like a current beneath my skin.
To reenter the world feels like walking on glass,
Each step fragile, each glance reminds me of being exposed.

Being seen is more than just a simple gaze—
It’s vulnerability.
I wear my masks like armor in the crowd,
Smiling when needed, nodding at the right time.
Yet beneath it all, there’s a tremble in my soul,
For they see the mask, but not the cracks underneath.

How often I’ve pretended, played the part, their part
Exhausted by the effort of fitting into the fold, a clueless misfit.
Every conversation a performance, every word rehearsed,
Leaving me drained and hollowed out.
There’s a price to pretending, one too steep to pay,
But what choice is there when hiding feels like safety?

Sometimes, it’s easier to fade into the shadows,
To be invisible, unseen, untouched by the world’s gaze.
For to show my true self is to open a door
To judgement, to misunderstanding and hurt.
And so I stay hidden, behind my carefully built walls,
Wondering if one day, I’ll have the courage to let them fall.