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Say a Prayer For the Pretender

“Say a prayer for the pretender.” Often, I feel incongruent Pieces of me just don’t seem to match Others can find me difficult to put together My smile can cover an internal sneer I must admit that I often try to hide my anger I don’t want you to see the hurt inside Anxiety is the uncomfortable veil that I wear I feel exposed although I’m fully clothed A disquieting truth lies behind these closed doors My denial is secured by denial I pretend I’m not a pretender.

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Jiril Clemons

Date: 8/3/2015 8:48:00 PM

Wow, great poem, Barbara. A piece based on a emotion we all have felt, the feeling of pretending in our realistic lives. Such honesty in this amazing in this piece. Enjoyable overall. Check out some of my poems, might find some you like. Peace.

Barbara Campbell
Date: 8/7/2015 1:18:00 PM

Jiril, First, thank-you for such positive comments; I am relatively new to this and it means a lot to me. I loved your poem, I.Q. tests, for many reasons including your writing style. I have given I.Q. tests as part of my job, and has mixed feelings about them; mostly negative. If I was the child on the other side I would feel anxiety about my results. This is a complicated subject, so I will not try to go further. People seem to like putting others down for any reason they can use. High intelligence or low intelligence; too this; too that. I believe there is wisdom... and there is intelligence; some have a good amount of both. Intelligence loses some of its value without wisdom. I admire what and how you communicated. Barbara

Estela Canama

Date: 8/3/2015 4:11:00 AM

Great poem! Congrats, Barbara.

Barbara Campbell
Date: 8/3/2015 9:01:00 AM

Thanks! Barbara

Poet Destroyer A

Date: 8/1/2015 3:13:00 PM

Barbara, thank you for the nice thanks on my comment

Dr. Upma A. Sharma

Date: 8/1/2015 1:06:00 AM

Congrats on ur awesome win Barbara! Well versed with the anxiety phrase, great work!

Barbara Campbell
Date: 8/1/2015 10:35:00 AM

What a nice message to receive! Barbara

Skat A

Date: 8/1/2015 12:05:00 AM

Sweet win..SK

Barbara Campbell
Date: 8/1/2015 10:34:00 AM

Sweet of you sending this, Barbara

Poet Destroyer A

Date: 7/31/2015 11:35:00 PM

Barbara, Congratulations on your win. nice to see this contest by Silent One.... Always ~LINDA~

Barbara Campbell
Date: 8/1/2015 10:32:00 AM

Another thank-U, Barbara

Eric Boddie

Date: 7/30/2015 3:53:00 PM

Dear Lord Deliver this pretender to a place where she will surrender to Your Will And To Your Way....Please God Do It On This Day....Amen

Barbara Campbell
Date: 7/30/2015 6:27:00 PM

Thanks the poetic "prayer for the pretender." What a creative comment! Barbara

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 7/29/2015 12:34:00 AM

oh, I just love that last line: I pretend I'm not a pretender. Perfection!

Barbara Campbell
Date: 7/29/2015 7:57:00 AM

Andrea, That's a truly thoughtful reflection. It is all the more appreciated from a woman of your talent. Barbara

Laura Leiser

Date: 7/27/2015 3:48:00 PM

We all can pretend that we're someone that we are really not inside. Good poem to express this dichotomy, Barbara!

Barbara Campbell
Date: 7/27/2015 9:01:00 PM

This is a genuine reflection of my personal reality. I share it not as much an expression of where I am, but rather the places that I sometimes vibrate between. Thank you for your kind observation.