Shedding Old Masks

The tradition must go on,
And I am the one who must suffer,
Tossing and turning endlessly,
Just to satisfy the needs of narcissists.
I no longer want to play this role;
I’ve had enough, it’s time to make things clear,
For I won’t waste my life
Catering to their sick egos.
I have skills, talents, and dreams;
I won’t sacrifice a single moment to squander them,
Because I’ve worked harder than anyone else
To get where I am today.
It hurts that no one sees this,
That no one recognizes my efforts –
Even when I share them openly with so-called friends,
They ruthlessly turn into enemies.
Strangers show more kindness and understanding;
They don’t worry about being affected by their flaws or mine.
And I have the luxury of honing my craft
Just as I wish, on my own terms,
While adapting it to the mainstream.
I hope that one day, all of this will matter,
Flourished into another
Wonderful entity
Meaningful not just to me.