Struggle VIII

By Andrew R. Duckworth

Today’s face is going
To be a bit more cheerful
than it was the day before.
I never know how
To present myself.
Maybe it’s why I hate
Going to anything social.
If they see my stoic face,
With almost as much expression
As the face on a Roman coin,
They won’t approach me,
And, when I approach them,
They will inch their way
Backwards.
I’ve always had a problem
With my face, my smile.
I thought I was over it
For a while, but not really.
I’ve always thought that
My smile would make me seem weak,
That perhaps my hard face would
Be intimidating.
And then, I risk being avoided.
But perhaps being avoided is okay,
As long as I don’t have to deal
With what the hell to do
With my face.