self esteem

Feelings

/ Nancy Ann Creed / Leave a comment
Photo by Tuur Tisseghem on Pexels.com

Feelings (When you know you are being left out.)

The laughter comes through drywall, thick and low,
A happy static I don’t get to know.
I’m in the kitchen, pouring out a drink,
And on the very edge of what they think.
It isn’t cruel, it has no pointed sting,
This accidental orbit where I swing.

The door swings open and the sound cuts clean,
A sudden silence wipes the vibrant scene.
A smile is offered, quick and paper-thin,
A pause, before the story can begin
Again, but different. Softer, and more staid,
A careful, edited version, newly made.

And in that quiet that my presence brought,
A frantic question in my mind is caught:
Was my name just a whisper in the air?
A punctuation mark they couldn’t share?
A punchline or a problem or a plea?
Was the last word they swallowed simply “me”?

There is no proof, no evidence to find,
Just shifting shadows in my worried mind.
A glance that might mean nothing, or mean all,
The way a friendly gesture seems too small.
I’m chasing ghosts of words I never heard,
And judging every single action spurred.

It’s like a hum beneath the floorboards, faint,
A phantom ache that merits no complaint.
For what is there to say? “I feel a dread
About the secret things you might have said”?
They’d call it madness, and perhaps they’re right.
So I just stand here in the fading light,
And smile, and nod, and never let them see
The terrifying space surrounding me.

Check out more work by Nancy Ann Creed

Maeve- https://books2read.com/u/m25Ygd
Matthew- https://books2read.com/u/bzNZYj
Justin- https://books2read.com/u/mBKzLZ
Maurelle- https://books2read.com/u/bzN19D
Annabelle- https://books2read.com/u/bWqEkx

They Leave, They Return

/ Nancy Ann Creed / Leave a comment
photo of trees during fall
Photo by Irina Iriser on Pexels.com

A friend, I thought, a bond so true,
A shared laugh, a knowing view.
But shadows fall, and anger flares,
Leaving silence, and empty chairs.

They leave, they go, a slammed door’s sound,
A gaping hole in solid ground.
Then back they come, with outstretched hand,
As if no chasm spanned the land.

Close they draw, with whispered plea,
To mend the bridge, just you and me.
But fear takes hold, a whispered doubt,
How to trust when hearts fall out?

Kindness calls, a gentle guide,
To offer grace, to turn the tide.
But wounds remain, a fragile scar,
A fear of falling, near or far.

To build anew, on shifting sand,
A house of cards, at their command.
The yearning heart, a hopeful plea,
For lasting bonds, for you and me.

Yet cycles turn, the pattern set,
A bitter taste of what you get.
The push, the pull, the constant ache,
But you never let go, you never give up.

A Cutting Sneer

/ Nancy Ann Creed / Leave a comment

A Cutting Sneer

A barbed remark, a cutting sneer,
A thoughtless jab, a cruel career.
Their words like daggers, sharp and keen,
Piercing through my armor, unseen.

I long to strike back, to give as good,
To show them that I’m understood.
To prove my worth, to make them see,
That I’m no pushover, wild and free.

But then I pause, I take a breath,
And realize their words are death.
To their unkindness, I’ll not bend,
But I won’t stoop to be their friend.

For in their rudeness, they reveal,
A heart that’s empty, cold, and cruel.
Their words may sting, but they will pass,
While I stand strong, beneath their mass.

Except Me

/ / Leave a comment
Photo by Camila Quintero Franco on Unsplash

The path we walk, a winding road,
With companions, a merry load.
We laugh, we share, secrets untold,
But sometimes, friendships turn to cold.

Miles we travel, diverge and bend,
Dreams we chase may have no end.
New horizons, some yearn to see,
Leaving footprints where they used to be.

It’s not a failing, a flaw within,
Just life’s grand dance, a constant spin.
Bonds may loosen, some fade from sight,
But hold the memories, warm and bright.

New connections, yet to unfold,
Stories waiting, brave and bold.
Embrace the change, the ebb and flow,
Friendships blossom, some come and go.

There’s no blame in hearts that roam,
Growth requires a space to call your own.
So let them fly, on wings unfurled,
And know true friendships bless the world.

Grieve the loss, then mend your heart,
New chapters wait, a brand new start.
There’s nothing wrong, it’s simply true,
Lifelong friends may come in twos, but none for me.

A Bitter Truth

/ Nancy Ann Creed / Leave a comment
Photo by Sofia Alejandra on Pexels.com

A bitter truth, a seed I’ve sown,
Unfairness blooms, a heart I’ve known.
They drift away, a scattered flock,
The mirror shows, the fault’s the rock.

My anger burned, a searing flame,
That you didn’t fight, you weren’t to blame.
For friendships fought for, bonds held tight,
Mine wasn’t worthy, not bathed in light.

The weight of blame, a crushing tide,
But self-deception cannot hide.
“You’re worth it all,” a whispered plea,
But whispers fade, replaced by me.

For in this truth, though sharp and cold,
A chance for growth, a story told.
The issue lies within, I see,
The path to change begins with me.

The Shadow Creeps

/ Nancy Ann Creed / Leave a comment
Photo by Rodrigo Souza on Pexels.com

A shadow creeps, it wraps me tight,
A whisper speaks, “You’re not quite right.”
They shine so bright, their laughter rings,
While doubt in me, a dark bird sings.

Their perfect worlds, on display they lay,
My flaws stand stark, in disarray.
I strive and climb, but never reach,
The summit seems forever out of reach.

Am I too loud, or much too still?
My words fall flat, or cause a chill.
Their easy grace, a foreign tongue,
My clumsy steps, forever sung.

But wait, a voice, a gentle hum,
A truth inside begins to come.
This yearning heart, these hands that mend,
My worth’s not found in how I blend.

The path I walk, uniquely mine,
My scars and stumbles, a strength that’s fine.
To chase the sun, and let it guide,
In my own light, with gentle pride.