A poem
we hide our scars
beneath layers of silence
and polite smiles
whispered confessions
brushed off with a nervous laugh
as if pain were a punchline
in a joke no one
wants to hear
we are told to be strong
to be brave as if admitting
our struggles are a sign of weakness
as if asking for help is a crime
but there is no shame
in the storm that rages within
no guilt in the tears
that fall unseen
we are warriors battling shadows
in the quiet of the night
and it is time to speak our truths
to break the chains of stigma
that bind us
we are not broken, we are not less
we are simply human
worthy of love and understanding
worthy of a voice that is heard
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