The Difference Between You And Me

You stand up to read your assignment;
It's a poem titled 'Slow And Steady Pain.'
One thing is clear already;
That you want the world to see your pain and suffering.

That's the thing between you and me;
Is that you want the pain to show,
So they'll try to save your condemned soul,
From the hurt you've caused yourself inside.

But as you finish this sad poem of yours,
I feel differently about you;
I now look up to you as having an ability that I've yet to accomplish;
You have the desire to share your pain, and the want to get help for it.

I try to hide the hurt I feel from people I don't know,
Because I'm afraid to let them know a part of me;
I'm afraid my inner secrets will be discovered and that they'll judge me;
As if I don't need help because they can't see the pain from the outside.

But we both know that we hide from the truths we don't want to face,
That though we try to hide it within, there's always pain yet to be discovered.
And even though I can't openly share my pain like you can,
I still try to hold on to life with all that I can before it escapes my grasp(s).