Always Feeling Off

Whispers in the room, shadows on the wall,

I stand in the corner, like I don’t belong at all.

A smile when they see me, but it feels so thin,

In this family gathering, I just can’t fit in.

Photographs on the mantle, memories that I can’t trace,

Laughter fills the air, but it’s more like a race,

I’m lost in the moments, conversations drift away,

Every heart that’s beating here feels so far away.

They say they love me, but I feel out of place,

As if I’m just a ghost in this familiar space.

Trying to connect, but the lines they always break,

A silence wrapped in chaos, so much at stake.

I’m always feeling off, like a puzzle with no piece,

In this family tapestry, I'm the thread that won’t release.

They pull me close, but still, I wander far,

An outsider in their stories, like a fading star.

Dining table set with warmth, but I can’t find my place,

Searching for a sign, but it’s a phantom’s grace.

Every hopeful glance is like a wave in the sea,

Crashing on the shore, but it’s just not meant for me.

They say it’s all okay, but I feel the rift it makes,

A longing for acceptance in the silence that it breaks.

Awkward smiles and gestures only amplify the fall,

Feeling like a stranger, is there room for me at all?

I’m always feeling off, like a puzzle with no piece,

In this family tapestry, I'm the thread that won’t release.

They pull me close, but still, I wander far,

An outsider in their stories, like a fading star.

But I hold onto dreams of who I could become,

Even when the laughter fades, I know I’m not undone.

Among the tangled roots, I’ll find my own way,

Maybe one day, I’ll bloom, in light of my own day.

So here’s to the journey, the distance I can feel,

In a world of family ties, I’ll learn to heal.

Though I’m always feeling off, trapped in what they see,

I’ll carve out my own space, and finally be free.