Malcontent

Somewhere along the way

I switched places

With a lookalike pretender

They slipped in

Took over

A fearless kid becoming a fearful teen

And then older

I used to be excited by the unknown

It only frightens me now

Once, I saw the wonder

But then the fear grew louder somehow

Too afraid I would become lost

And yet I must

If I wish to find myself

I’ve allowed myself to become trapped

By a twisted sense of duty

Playing the martyr, stuck in servitude

Extinguishing my energy

Resentment building

As I let it keep me from chasing opportunity

And I’m content to let things be

I have the freedom to do anything

So, of course, I do nothing

Sit in a nest, in a cage of my own making

No lock

No key

I’m the one keeping myself locked in

Only I can find the strength

To walk back out again

When did I become so cautious?

So afraid

So comfortable in letting fear get the best of me

So willing to pack up my hopes and dreams

Ones I didn’t even see

To live vicariously

To remain stagnant

Unchanged for years