If I Seem (POEM)

If I seem hard,
Perhaps I've never known tenderness.

If I seem weak,
Maybe I trust you enough to be vulnerable.

If I seem bitter,
It might be because I've offered forgiveness, yet never been forgiven.

If I seem faithless,
The cause could be constant disappointment.

If I seem distant,
Maybe I'm too terrified to speak to you.

If I seem cold,
Try reaching out to me with some warmth.

If I seem sad,
My heart just might be shattered.

If I seem overly chipper,
Perhaps I'm hiding a deeper pain.

If I turn my back on you,
Try walking around towards my face.

If I seem aloof,
Maybe I don't know any other way to protect myself.

If I seem wounded,
Why not offer up a bandage of friendship?

If I seem to be too much to handle,
Perhaps that's more about how you seem. . . . .