Worth This World
Austin Price, Editor in Chief
You are a shell
A cracked, faded, scarred shell
You hide in the shadows of your own personal pot of pain
You peek your head out, but draw back in quickly, masking your insecurities
You are collected in the clutches of your own thoughts, feelings, and memories
You say you’re content, but we both know you’re compliant
You say you’re proud, but I can see the pain that hides behind your eyes
You are not thin, you are gaunt
Your skin stretches tightly across your overworked bones
You’re not radiant, you are pale
Your unnaturally pale skin is caused by lack of sun
And consequently lack of human connection
Painting a phantom of yourself
You have been searching for the cure to an unhealthy craving
You crave to be valued
You crave to be needed
You crave to be wanted
You crave to be loved
Like a primitive beast, you are a predator, hunting for a cure
A cure for your insecurities
A cure for self hatred
A cure for the never ending feelings of hopelessness, and worthlessness
You feed off of lies of affirmations and are served on silver platters of false security
You wash it down with a gulp of empty promises
And finish it off with a Sundae of sinister sayings
Topped with whipped cream
Containing thinly veiled threats
And completed with a cherry on top
The final bite of your meal
A red orb is your reward
A reward for good behavior
A reward for staying in line
A reward for best actor in a self forming healthy life
A reward for being a brainwashed robot
Programmed to serve
With no expectation of reimbursement
I wish I could help you see that you are more than a shell
You are more than a slave
You are more than the lies they feed you
These lies that you eagerly devour, and that you beg for more of
You can only truly see yourself
When you discover that no one in this world values you as much as you think they do
You are only valuable when you believe you are worth this world
But until then, continue this abuse
Continue this torture
Continue this conspiracy
After all, you’re in good company with liars, narcissists, thieves, and manipulators
Worship them all you want
Sell your soul to them
Surrender to them
Until they destroy you
Until they strip you away from your values
Your happiness and your freedom
Be a good girl
Be a people pleaser
Be a tiny turtle in a cracking shell
Just know that eventually
Your shell will burst
Your true fears will be exposed
And the poison they feed you will be agonizing
As it burns through your veins
But I’ll be there
I’ll be there to patch you back together
I’ll be there to build you back up
I’ll be there to hold your hand as you embark on your journey through life
This journey where you value yourself
This journey where you finally see you are worth this world