50 WORDS

Why Should It Matter What Others Think if I Think It Doesn’t Matter?

Thrifty Word Challenge #22: Guilty

Wearied by the weight Now a cloak of obligation Obscures all inspiration Prevarication paralyses Thoughts and limbs with Fingers numb and Lips dumb This crowded space Intimidates

The mantra haunts my sleep

“Write, write.” They keep saying No room for playing

Judged guilty, I’ll write another sentence when I’m ready.

Backstory

The following quote by the controversial psychiatrist R. D. Laing sums up the dilemma I faced in December and again this week.

“True guilt is guilt at the obligation one owes to oneself to be oneself. False guilt is guilt felt at not being what other people feel one ought to be or assume that one is.”

Take it away Barbra and Barry:

Thank you Marla Bishop for this week’s prompt.

You might bump into me here: https://twitter.com/Cazzyual