by Claudia Wysocky
We can't keep pretending,
And we can't keep lying,
We can't keep hoping
And we can't keep trying,
We can't keep waiting
And we can't keep believing,
We can't keep telling ourselves stories,
We can't keep fighting,
We can't keep wanting things to be different,
We can't keep thinking that things will just change,
We can't keep avoiding the things that need to be fixed,
We can't keep avoiding the things that need to be said,
Things that need to be felt,
Things that need to be heard.
We can't keep pretending that we're having fun,
We can't keep pretending that it's not too soon,
We can't keep pretending that everyone is happy,
We can't keep pretending that everything is alright,
We can't keep pretending that everything is perfect,
We can't keep pretending that everyone is comfortable,
We can't keep pretending that we're not in pain.
I close my eyes and tell myself things will be better tomorrow,
But I don't believe it anymore,
Because I know you don't believe it,
And I know I don't believe it.
So what do we do now?
Now that we know every hope is a lie,
Now that we know every lie is a truth,
Now that we know every truth is a lie,
Now that we know everything is a compromise?
***
Claudia Wysocky, a Polish writer and poet based in New York, is known for her diverse literary creations, including fiction and poetry. Her poems, such as "Stargazing Love" and "Heaven and Hell," reflect her ability to capture the beauty of life through rich descriptions. Besides poetry, she authored "All Up in Smoke," published by Anxiety Press. With over five years of writing experience, Claudia's work has been featured in local newspapers, magazines, and even literary journals like WordCityLit and Lothlorien Poetry Journal. Her writing is powered by her belief in art's potential to inspire positive change. Claudia also shares her personal journey and love for writing on her own blog, and she expresses her literary talent as an immigrant raised in post-communism Poland.