The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I’m Hiding Deep Inside

Can no one see this smile I’m faking,
See how, inside, I’m constantly shaking?
These people all claim they know me well,
Yet no one can see through my crumbling shell?

“I’m fine”, I whisper, my sadness unknown,
They leave me to deal with this anguish alone.
I’ve hidden behind this wall most of my life,
I’ve managed so far, I’ve dealt with my strife.

Watching as, slowly, my blood leaks away,
It helps to keep life’s true horrors at bay.
I pull down my sleeve to cover my hurt,
For approaching footsteps, I’m on the alert.

I guess my pretense is just all too real,
No one has to know of the pain that I feel.
The real me inside, where no one can see,
I can fool everyone else, why can’t I fool me?