Empathy

"You can do it."

"I've been in your shoes."

"It's just teenage angst."

"I understand."

You don't understand.

I cannot always prevail

Stress

Anxiety

Perfection in the face of society

The things that stunt teenage optimism

The toils of my every day,

are nonexistent in yours

But you keep saying,

"I understand."

You don't understand.

These shoes are new

They rub raw the heels of my perseverance

And weaken the appendages of a stable mind

And yet you say

"I understand."

You don't understand.

My angst internally destroys me

Dread,

Anguish.

Unforeseen and untimely depression

I wish I could escape

My mind is chaos

You repeat the phrase,

"I understand."

You don't understand.

Your words echo in the abyss of my mind

Echo.

Reverberate inside my skull.

The continuous emission of false understanding

A half attempt at hope

Failure to pair sympathy with consolidation

And yet you continue to claim,

"I understand."