The Introverted Performer

As  a child

she would sit alone

always watching the others

playing the day away

while she never had the confidence

                                                     to join them

When the class went on a trip

to see the most beautiful performance

she knew this is how she would escape

                                                                     herself

Finally in school, the class play came around

when she stepped on stage to audition

it finally clicked

            This is where I’m meant to be.

The spotlight shone so brightly

it warmed her face with joy

None of her classmates thought she would be able to speak like this

but when she did everyone knew

          This is who she’s meant to be.

As the years went on

she grew to love performing

dancing 

    singing

           acting

                    music

all kinds of art

But outside of the stage

she would shrink back into the corner

just herself and her stories

and watching the world play out

As she stepped into this new chapter of her life

being the introvert that she is she was nervous

College. What am I going to do?

But she did what she always did

                                        She performed

She performed like never before

Always getting exactly the part she wanted

Gliding across the stage with perfection

She graduated top of the class

and went to the 

             glittering

                shimmering

                            sparkling

Broadway

She shone like never before

The lights warmed her skin

The roar of the crowd made her smile

The performances took her to another world

                                             away from her timid self

But at home

or anywhere off stage 

she was lonely

There were no more characters to keep her company 

No more stories to lift her up

Until one day

               she spoke up

and shared about her loneliness

No one had really heard her speak before

so no one really listened

except for one

One who was also lonely

Another introverted performer

escaping the outside world

that they could not control

So the other lonely performer pushed through the fear

              and spoke to her

She listened with empathy

about how he too felt trapped

They spoke whenever they could

Laughing

       Crying

           Dancing 

                    Singing

                           Performing

Together

They told each other everything

And eventually

they fell in love

And they realized

That the world would continue to bring them down

And sometimes it felt too big

But they also knew

That they could overcome it

And they didn’t have to be popular or talkative offstage to prove it

All they had to do

All they had to be 

Was themselves

And with that 

Nothing could bring them down.