Here is a new poem I wrote and wanna share with everyone here: Lying for Acceptance Living this lie, trying to get by; While on the inside, I just cry. Society disagrees, and won't let me be, I need to release and set myself free. Tucked far away, I have so much to say, Want to shout it from the rooftops, Mom, Dad...yes, I am gay. Its nothing you did and I cannot change. Who can I trust, who can I tell, Can't keep it bottled up, Need to live for myself, And take my love of the shelf. I've known since I was young, These feelings can't be undone. How can I explain, explain what I mean, If I let it out, will they accept me. You can't turn me straight, You made me this way, The same caring man, Who happens to be gay. The signs were all there, how couldn't you see, Or maybe you did, but let me be me. I've wanted to speak, say what's inside, But fear of losing everything, I had to lie. Now that I'm older, I've accepted who I am, To most it seems strange, but I'm not gonna change, I love who I am, and hope you understand, when you hear I'm in love with a beautiful man. Any thoughts? I used to write poems when I was a kid and got away from it until I heard Steve Grand's All American Boy, and his story inspired me so much I thought it was time to try writing again. Thanks for reading. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.
I like it. I think it does a good job conveying the isolation and guilt about lying that many gays feel before coming out. I'm not sure about your rhyme scheme though. It seems to change from aabb to abab and sometimes abcc. If you did that on purpose, then it was an interesting choice. In fact, I think that varying the rhyme scheme subtly adds to the overall feeling of inner turmoil shown in the poem. (That last sentence makes me sound like an English teacher.)
