Don't look them in the eye

What is it they see as they glance down? 
What do those eyes reflect back, those eyes that shine like gold? 
Maybe something more than can be seen can be told. 
Maybe some kind of pain and resentment and desperation: a fear of the future and the fear of first crushes. 
Maybe some kind of anger, maybe some kind of sadness. 
Maybe something deeper and darker: a desire to be free of the eyes that judge them and toil for them. 
Maybe they are just standing there, just standing proud.

Shame doesn’t have a color; it is everywhere.
It’s not quite a liquid, but it’s been hard to describe.
It tastes like burning oil, and it comes from our throats.
Some say that shame is an emotion that changes with the years, 
Others believe that shame is just a simple feeling.
It has no origin; it is everywhere.

Shame is the noncolor that burns in our sides, 
When we do what we think we should not have done. 
It’s in other people’s eyes, and it’s burning bright. 
It has no origin; it is everywhere.

I know that it is challenging to support someone in this way, but I believe that a few people would be willing to donate just a little more. A lot of poetry has been written about the things such as supporting poets and poetry in general. I think that we need to hear those voices again.

If you love poetry and want to help with the arts, you can always donate a membership or coffee by following these links. It’s hard to start from nothing and be able to progress with poetry — if you have other ways you can help, please make sure to tell us in the comments below.

Poetry is everywhere 💚 But the question is, how much do you love it?