My Family

Don’t talk to me about my family

Daily, monthly, yearly rituals

Don’t do this and never say that

My parents can’t deal with emotions

Don’t talk back

So I shut up

For four, five, six?

How many years?

I can accept who I am now

But they don’t know that person

One day I’ll outlive them

I must try to get on with my life before that day

And remind myself that

If no one knows me, I know myself

For this they will say I am selfish

They don’t know how selfish I am not

I try to end this poem

To tell you how I feel inside

A small peek under the mask

Of laughter and tears

(18.11.2005)