“Please Hear What I’m Not Saying” is a poem by American poet Charles C. Finn that has been used to help raise awareness for mental health issues. Finn’s poem speaks to the importance of reaching out to those who are struggling by providing compassion and encouragement.  Like the narrator, many individuals who have experienced bullying or mental health problems often construct a persona for protection against the pain they endured in the past and are waiting for someone to see through their façade and help them heal.  

Don’t be fooled by me.
Don’t be fooled by the face I wear
for I wear a mask, a thousand masks,
masks that I’m afraid to take off,
and none of them is me. 

…

I don’t like hiding.
I don’t like playing superficial phony games.
I want to stop playing them.
I want to be genuine and spontaneous and me
but you’ve got to help me. 

Image Credit
Feature: Dyversions at Pixabay, Creative Commons