They Say Reach For The Stars

They say reach for the stars

But they don’t know how hard it is

When you open your mouth

And no words come out

And all you want is to stare at your shoes

*

They say money doesn’t grow on trees

But they don’t know how good it is

To do what you love with what you earn

To swim in yards of fabric

And glue soft feathers to foam

*

They say beauty is pain

But they don’t know how freeing it feels

To smear sparkly powder on my face

And to look into the mirror

And not see myself anymore

*

They say be yourself

But they don’t know how comforting it feels

To step into the shoes of someone who doesn’t exist

For a day or three

And leave my life behind

*

They say do what you love

But this time they are right

Because life goes by like lightning

So why not become someone else

And feel comfortable for a time

*

(Writer's note: Originally written for a past contest here on Vocal, this poem is about cosplay, one of my favorite hobbies. Read on here to learn more about cosplay and how it saved my life.)