Can’t Let Go of One Thing by Holding on to Everything

Quit painting upon such soiled canvas,
layering these unresolved disparities,
adding ferociously to their weight,
day after day, committing yourself
to such fate forever strapped to this lot-
problems the rest of the world ignores
are the ones you wear yourself thin
worrying about, but still cannot control.
And the ones you maintain, cling to,
contribute to the unsightly stain of pain,
and grow ever more insignificant in time.
Yet, within their shelter you still reside
suppressing happiness with the pride
that you are strong enough to hold
these insecurities high above head-
when, in truth, it is under them you hide.
You let them suffocate you, choking,
stealing the breath you take for granted
and life you carelessly, barely survive-
drudging on with misguided contempt
for a world that has done you no wrong
but it owes you, you’d certainly exclaim
for the great service you lay claim to
by personally taking on these burdens
when no one ever asked for you to.
For these works you cannot stand tall,
but, should you refuse to give them up,
to not let fall from your wearied back
this twisted heap you have amassed
by subconsciously living in the past
and feeling sorry for only yourself,
then the world cannot for you fix
what you choose not to try to undo.