Answer The Following

What’s your hobby? What is it that you like to do?

In what world would I hold a perfect answer to this?

Parents screaming, friends whining, and teachers groaning.

Eye rolls of annoyance and signs of disappointment.

With only 24 hours in the day

What activity could I do without having a price to pay?

If it looks good on your college application

Please be our guest!

If it is only for recreation.

Boy, do we detest!

Gritting your teeth through every recital, match, or exam

But you know yourself—

This is all a sham.

On an application, the following questions asked:

What extracurriculars do you do? Any volunteer work?

Where’s the box for me to say I’m pathetic? I’m fake?

Having a shadow constantly following, berating, and pressuring for perfection.

Who am I if not the perfect sculpture I was molded to be?

Double standards and hypocrisy.

Be yourself! Express who you really are!

Outside the box but when I shout what I have truly been wanting

I get shoved right back in.