No one really knows
that I am here.
They only know
that they are there.
I am a clown,
a puppet without strings.
My imaginary movements
are so clumsy.
I’m a bird
without its wings.
No one sees me
when I smile,
but they applaud
when I fall down.
I taste my salty tears
as I pick myself
up off the ground.
I sometimes feel so alone.
I cannot bear the pain.
I’m dancing only
for my peers,
to see their smiles
and hear their cheers.
And I will never know
that I am here,
while they will always know
that they are there.