This is another new poem.
the lowered voice
trails off
silencing itself
shrinking away
into myself
hiding
making myself small
and swallowing my voice
my anger fear despair grief
trying not to offend
not to take up space
not to be myself
because i feel myself undeserving
unlovable
and deeply wrong
unworthy of love
or friendship
capable only of loneliness
and afraid
of love