Authentic

it's hard to be authentic
it's hard to be really you
so when you start to write your tale
you wonder what is true

your first idea?
it could be gold
or simply the sum
of all society has tried to mould

I want to improve
I want to get better
but that means changing
adapting my letter

be authentic
even if it means you're wrong
be yourself
even if it's not a pretty song

find the story on you can tell
and the way only you can tell it
if you can, you have to try
it's the challenge in being authentic

wrong words

your words in life don't always come across how you want them too 
this is one of life's sad facts you're just going to have to battle through

all you can do, is try to make up for where you went wrong
you can't take away words that were put where they don't belong

but you can try your best at setting things right
even if real forgiveness feels far out of sight

apologise, earnestly. try not to reason your way out
you've said those words and now they're roaming about 

and you can't go back to how things were before
all you can do is learn to not say those words any more

Dear Harry

Dear Harry,

You've been being hard on him again, haven't you?
On that self you often try to dissociate from
So that you can try to justify the pressure

Be kind to him, please
You know he's more fragile than he likes to admit
He's strong, but only in certain ways

If you do this enough he'll think he's a burden
Then he'll become anxious and overthink things
And not in the way he's supposed to overthink things

Give him time. Or a deadline if you have to
Set him goals and encourage his ambitions
Let him figure out how to fail correctly

Remember that he doesn't know his potential, nor do you
That good things come from unplanned places
That life is not a race, but an adventure

Do things with love
Including, but not limited to
Helping him through the rough patches in life

He needs your help
It's good to reflect
But remember the reflection can only see so far

So, don't be too hard on him
Please
For Us

Love,
Harry

Run down

When I'm run down, I feel the cold more easily
When I'm run down, I tend to get ill
When I'm run down, I overthink things more
When I'm run down, the world seems against me

But sleep doesn't solve it
I never have any issue sleeping
But it's the misalignment with the world
The sense that I'm clashing in my tempo

I'm used to playing my own rhythm
But then it's as a harmony
Whereas now I'm in a dance
Where everyone but me knows the steps

Sometimes I can fix it be being hydrated
Or by taking some true rest
Most times though, I'm a human and not an algorithm
And there's no quick fix - just gradual healing over time