More Free Verse

Listen to Me

Say what they want to hear
Plaster a smile on your face
Ask the right questions
Give the right answers
Don't disturb their world
With problems from yours
Just keep grinning
And divert the conversation
Turn it back to them
Let them deal with their issues
Keep yours to yourself
Bury your emotions
Blink back the tears
Keep it all deep inside
Don't let it poke its nasty head out
Don't bother the nice people
They're too busy
Just smile real big
And don't let them in
Because you wouldn't know
What to say in the first place
And you hate to cry
Remember that
Don't say a word
Lips sealed tight
Pinched into a smile
Nod and agree
Don't cause ripples
Because ripples start tsunamis
Everything escalates
Remember that
And don't forget
To make eye contact
But guard your eyes
And don't shrug
Offer evasive statement
They feel better about those
Don't pin down your feelings
But especially not theirs!
Dear me, no
That makes them defensive
And then they look to you
They might look too hard
And if you don't have all the shields up
They might slip in
And that wouldn't do at all, my dear
Just listen to me
Smile sweetly
Focus on them
What they want you to know
Divert
Evade
Seal
Silence
Guard
Because you're perfectly fine
Doing great, in fact
Always remember that