A half-smile has gotten me far in life. The tear-streaked face, blotchy complexion, and puffy red eyes suddenly disappear at the slight tug of my blossoming lip. Should I call a friend and tell them how I feel? I doubt they would want to hear the repetitive words from yesterday or the oversharing tendencies I’ve developed over the years as an only child. Instead, I taped a white crinkled piece of paper to my bedroom wall and sang to it in hymns. It was beautiful, I thought, but someone always has something to say about the way I sing my hymns. I’ve tried to be more confident about them, but how could that ever be possible? The distant voices in my head call me unlovely, while the world continues to fight for my recovery. -F . . . #poetrycommunity #poetryofinstagram #poetrygram #spilledink #writersofinstagram #poetsofinstagram #heartbreakpoetry #lostlove #emotionalpoetry #writingcommunity #wordporn #poetrylovers