Maturity

Though I'm older now

I still have a secret

I want to sing

a little thing

really

but I don't dare

because everyone knows

secrets are like dreams

and no one cares

about your dreams

(or mine!)

and you know

and I know

we all have

secret songs

we hide

from fear

the world will laugh

(and it will!)

and so

from fear

of that laughter

we bury them

deep

deep

d

e

e

p

so

deep

in our secret selves

where they fester

and curdle

and rot

in the darkness

until

they finally pass

(or so I'm told)

and are gone forever

with our

illusions of youth

until

we're left

cleansed and purged

of silly little secrets

and

the songs

they sing

or so I'm told

----

Falls Church

March 2022