Harmony Lane Poet Free verse

Dysphoria

This is a poem regarding gender dysphoria and being transgender. If you do not support that kind of thing, please do not leave rude comments and simply click away. I actually found this poem recently in one of my old journals from almost three years ago now, so there is much history to this poem.

I touch myself
I feel...wrong
Like something's missing
Or isn't supposed to be there

But I ignore the feeling
I get on with life
"I'm just self conscience"
A pitiful lie

Next I turn around
To hear what was said
"Boys on one side, girls on the other"
Is what the teacher says

And I follow those who look like me then
But there's no sense of belonging
I feel out of place
And panic screams inside of me

I am not who I am
There's another inside of me
She screams in chains
Shackled to the curse of a body
The body, shackled to the norm of society

I'm told that I'm supposed to grow old like this
And I die on the inside
It feels like the wrong fuel for an engine
Or a square peg in a round hole

I imagine myself
Beautiful and free
I get told that I'm wrong
But I know it's who I am supposed to be

And so like a caterpillar
I metamorphisize
Until the beautiful butterfly inside of me
Gracefully flies out and away

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Douglas Felsch September 7, 2026 at 2:31 PM Love your poem! Can so identify with you here. Debra🌹

Kai Bredwell January 10, 2024 at 10:37 AM <3

Ink Empress November 2, 2023 at 11:21 AM I understand how gender dysphoria feels. And feel your pain. Reminds me of some of my transgender friends, that has been through this too, you’ve expressed very well here. And is so brave to voice out. Love how you’ve written this. Sending you light alwyss