#179

It is my unbravery that oftentimes holds me back.

My bravado is just the façade I built
upon the layers of peers I count.

Although truly, I am
in love,
many times over.

The debates I wish to pursue
remain unpursued,
for I do not wish to argue.

It is my comfort in peace
that makes me reluctant
to confront an adversary,
choosing instead to shrug things off.

A simple no would have served me better
in my pursuit of true peace,
and yet I feign weakness
in my resolve to hold no grudges.

I am—
cowardly
for not pushing back.

The ebb of the sea is far easier
than the struggle of holding myself back.

Oh, how beautifully reddish it would have been
if I could speak without fear
and give voice to the peace in my mind
that always falls to pieces.

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