A Poem (that may or may not be garbage)

Here I am, sad and alone
Here I am, hopeless and miserable
Here I am, looking through old photos and crying at sunsets
Here I am, playing guitar and singing to make the pain go away
Here I am, writing stories to fill the holes in my life
And even though it hurts, even though I could do better
I will never apologize.

Here I am, smiling at the rain
Here I am, falling in love with everyone I see
Here I am, wearing a trench coat and drawing on walls
Here I am, laughing as loud as I can until I cry my fucking eyes out
Here I am, running circles around my problems
And even though I’m scared, even though I can’t look
I will never compromise.

Do you approve of the way I live my life?
Should I change my process and become as miserable as you?
I’m sick of this silly human dogma
So what if I’m opinionated? So what if I’m sad?
So what if I don’t want to waste my life working a shitty job
Or fucking a girlfriend I don’t love?
So what if I don’t do drugs or live on my cell phone
Or look at my feet as I walk?
I’ve already wasted too much of my life staring at the floor
From now on I’m looking straight ahead
And you can bet I’ll look you in the eyes when I see you
And I’ll smile like I’ve known you all my life
So what if it makes you feel uncomfortable?
This life is too short to judge every book just by its cover
Too short to believe what you know is truth
Too short ignore any sign of life
Too short to waste being anyone but who you are.

Here I am, to my friends and my family
Here I am, to the people I know and the people I don’t
Here I am, to every kid who put on a mask
Here I am, to God and Buddha and Elvis Presley
Here I am, a flawed, broken, depressive, fulfilled, jubilant individual
And even though it could be easier, it could never be better
And even though the sun’s shining now, it’ll rain tomorrow
And I’ll never stop smiling.