Prisoner

This is a poem I wrote as a teenage girl. Reading it now I can see I was expressing my desire to feel free to express myself - to confidently share my thoughts and views of people and the world around me. At that point in my life, I had become confused and afraid that I couldn't trust my instincts and feelings. I was afraid of saying something inappropriate or offensive - or just down right stupid. In most situations I chose to avoid expressing myself at all. I still experience this confusion with certain people and in certain situations. Only now - I think I am beginning to learn how to break the chains. Here is my poem.

IT'S HARD BEING A PRISONER

It's hard being a prisoner, seeing life pass you by.
It's hard breaking out, when the cell is in your mind.
It's hard finding tomorrow, hanging on to yesterday,
It's hard linking the pieces, when you can't break the chains.

Years ago, I built a prison
And housed it in my mind.
Convicted myself of worthlessness
And locked myself inside.
I watched the world revolve
And my friends all slip away
I lived alone with emptiness
And bound myself with chains.
And now I try to leave my cell
But it's hard hanging on to the key -
It's hard being the person
Nobody has ever seen.

And it's hard being a prisoner, seeing life pass you by.
It's hard breaking out, when the cell is in your mind.
it's hard finding tomorrow, hanging on to yesterday.
It's hard linking the pieces, when you can't break the chains.

There's dreams I want to build on,
And songs I want to write.
There's stories I want to tell the world
And candles I want to light.
There's faces I'd like to meet
And places I'd like to go,
But it's hard chasing dreams,
You think you could never know.

And it's hard being a prisoner, seeing life pass you by.
It's hard breaking out, when the cell is in your mind.
It's hard finding tomorrow, hanging on to yesterday
It's hard linking the pieces, when you can't break the chains.