you (don’t need to) apologize for the inconvenience

please don’t be afraid to paint your nails.

please don't teach yourself to shudder at
the time it takes to dry
because you've decided it's a crime
to be temporarily unavailable; please don't

cower at the notion
that someone might need you
to mop the floor or
do their hair and
just this once you’ll
have to ask them
to wait; please don't

let yourself think that
to be a good person you
have to be there every minute,
no breaks,
ready.

please don’t rob yourself
of those few giddy moments
the polish shiny
fresh
yours.

TreePupWriter

VT

16 years old

More by TreePupWriter

  • Hold Music


    Her hands clutch the cell phone and
    fiddle with the corners of the case.
    Feet fidgeting under the desk, stuffed into socks and shiny flats.

    She did not ask her phone to bring her an orchestra,
  • Recalibrate

    I still need to learn that I am not the very worst.
    That I am not the only one with actions to regret.
    That people don't walk by me thinking, She must have been cursed.
  • Sunken dime

    I was fearless. Untouchable. Knew who I was. What I wanted.
    “Life is hard”? Yeah, maybe for
    some but
    not for me.
    I had it all figured out.

    There wasn’t much I needed to wish for, but the act of it was fun.