I listened to the winds roar,

yet no words made it out of me.

Concerned about judging eyes,

and what their thoughts would be.

I succumbed to my fear,

letting it eat every tiny inch.

The voice within me grew impatient,

my nerves began to flinch.

Why was I afraid?

Is judgment a thing to fear?

Are new faces really scary?

Why is my voice so unclear?

I wished to break free,

unable to find the right words to say.

The anxiety got to me,

my confidence wilted away.

Why can’t I face this crowd?

Is my self-esteem so weak?

If I am better than this,

then why can’t I speak?

Why should my words be driven,

by what others think of me?

Why should my actions be limited,

instead of being everything I could be?

Does their perception of me matter?

Does it really make a difference?

Why should I cower from them?

Why should I mask my brilliance?

Judgment will always be there,

there is no escaping it.

Shining despite judging eyes,

is a truth we must admit.

I feared judgment.

I cared about what people would think.

When I realized this,

all my worries would sink.

My voice made it out.

I roared back at the wind.

Shinning from within,

as my fear slowly thinned.