EMOTIONS ON MY SLEEVE (REVISED)

JUST TALKED TO MY AUNT AGAIN,

AND I CRIED,

AND I WONDERED WHY

I WEAR

MY EMOTIONS ON MY SLEEVE.

WHEN MY FATHER DIED,

I GRIEVED,

MY HEART WAS TORN IN TWO,

MY HEAD WAS IN THE CLOUDS,

BUT THE REST OF THE FAMILY RAN AROUND

AS IF EVERYTHING WAS THE SAME.

AND I FELT ASHAMED BECAUSE OF MY TEARS

THROUGH ALL OF THESE YEARS.

STILL MISSING MY FATHER

AS IF IT WAS YESTERDAY

INSTEAD OF FOURTEEN YEARS.

WHY,

OH LORD,

DID YOU MAKE ME SO DIFFERENT

THAN ANY ONE ELSE IN MY FAMILY,

FEELING AS IF SOMEHOW

THEY ARE ASHAMED OF ME?

THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND

THE THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD,

ALL OF THESE FEELINGS I HAVE.

THE TEARS.

THE FEARS.

THE LOVE THAT COMES SO EASILY,

THE WAY I GRIEVE,

MY EMOTIONS ON MY SLEEVE.

BUT THEN,

SUDDENLY 

GOD REVEALS

A POEM

THAT MY GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER WROTE,

AND I SHAMEFULLY GLOAT,

FEELING THAT IT'S OKAY

FOR ME TO BE ME

THE WAY GOD INTENDED IT TO BE.

GOD KNIT ME TOGETHER IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB.