You think I'm scared of sounding stupid.
You tell me it's all right, that I'm "mysterious,"
That you se the cracks of sunshine bursting through my mask and you want to smash it and set me free.
And while I admire your patience, I don't think you quite realize what you're getting yourself into.
Because I have no mask to smash.
My shell is just hardened skin
And callouses form for a reason.
So why do you think I have to shed?
Maybe my skin isn't as soft and pretty,
Maybe I don't have a carbon copy of my skeleton tattooed to my body
So you can see my innards with convenience.
I'm not meant to be ornate.
You say my thoughts are like gemstones,
But you don't understand that trying to speak them
Cuts up my throat.
You want me to let you in,
But I am a tree
And you are a cavity creature.
For you to live inside of me, you first must hollow me out.
You are a woodpecker
And with every desperate peck at imaginary bark,
You damage the gentle beauty that lives underneath.
So the next time I don't tell you what I'm thinking,
Don't call me selfish.
Molting is a delicate thing.
I know you're scared we won't fall in love.
But I'm scared we will.