Growing up

It started the day he walked away,

I knew I had to fill the space,

But every time I tried, I’d fail,

Now I understand the weight of the trail.

Kids scream, adults laugh,

Bells echo, my mind splits in half.

It’s all too loud, it’s all too much,

But somehow, I’ve got to rise and clutch.

To make him proud, though it’s hard to say,

Being a leader, come what may.

It’s tough to explain, harder to know,

Easy to twist, easier to lose control.

Listening helps, more than harm or fight,

But if only I could get it right.

If only I were strong and true,

To lead like him, to stand tall too.

To hold my pride, to face the crowd,

To wear my dignity like a shroud.

Now I’m grown, flying on my own,

No turning back, this path’s unknown.

Whether they hear me or whether they care,

No one’s always right—it’s just life’s glare.

Runaway dreams, once my game,

Now I’m stuck in their twisted frame.

Adulthood ain’t the dream they sell,

It’s all a trap in freedom’s shell.

Losing my voice, that’s what stings,

That’s the burden adulthood brings.