We Only Pretend

by John Herlihy

We often go through life only pretending,

If we make mistakes, we see to their mending.

A surprise party does fill people with dread,

So, we end up just pretending surprise instead.

I unexpectedly meet someone who wanted to flirt,

False flattery will quickly put me on high alert.

At a job interview, they want the person to see,

We end up pretending, showing another me.

An unexpected joy turns into a thing pretended,

Deep within, you only feel broken, then mended.

My first day of teaching, I faced the class scared,

With their young eyes staring, my soul felt bared.

I make the poems I write freely available on offer

But my deepest sympathies I keep hidden in a coffer

We try to find subtle ways with the world to contend,

We keep hidden a part of ourselves, we only pretend.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Tuesday 20 May 2025