Tonight's Poet Corner: Shut Up

Shut Up
by Belinda Roddie

once in while (or thrice), you're told
to shut up, buck up, fess up
your sins, stand up and dress up
your wounds and use safety pins,
drink water instead of wine, stop crying
with pulled down window blinds, because
no one wants to hear that you feel
nervous inside.
it makes you wonder who's right,
the looks you get at a bus stop -
too white, too gay, too sensitive,
and too much of a hearthrob.
you know people love you, yeah,
that's definitely no lie,
but when you're told your problem's old
then you have to ask yourself why.