Emotional Reference Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

An inexperienced,
Innocent mind...
Encouraged to explore,
Emotions to have and express.
Grows to show them felt.
Yet...
Those told,
A weakness to show...
Is not a sign of strength.
And they grow to be the ones,
Proving as if emotions to have...
Is no different,
Than crimes to commit them.
From lessons to reference.
Learned and taught.
Caught!
Without an emotion connected.
Or know what it means,
To feel empathy, sympathy...
Without being asked,
To at least attempt to pretend it.