When you don’t know

When you don’t know

What to do

But you do something

Anyway.

A bit of this

A touch of that.

Bite your tongue

Whisper a few things

Wait for a while,

Rush in,

Step back.

When people say

You did what you did do, well

“Do it again”

And you don’t know how

Or what

You did the first time

But keep trying.

When people look happy

Pleased with you

They were glad you came.

Even though

It was a trial

You never let it show

But endured.

Made a few noises here

A silent smile there.

Shook with anxiety

Around the knees,

Kept them hidden.

Threw up in the bathroom

On your own.

It’s a man’s world

Dad said.

But you’re still alive

He’s dead

And the times are indeed

A changing.

Too soon

Not soon enough.

Is it too much to wish for less

When people want more.

Expectation is a heavy burden

Does anybody carry it well?

Some appear to

Perhaps they are just good actors.

The world is a stage

After all.