Feeling unknown
You can scream without making a sound,
and somehow nobody hears.
You can carry oceans in your chest
while smiling through the tears.
I walk through rooms full of people
feeling colder than the rain,
while everyone looks straight at me
but never sees the pain.
They notice my tired eyes,
the silence in my voice,
the way I slowly disappear
but helping feels like a choice.
So they ask me if I’m “doing okay”
then move along too fast,
never staying long enough
to see how long this lasts.
And maybe that’s what hurts the most
not being fully alone,
but standing in a crowd of love
and still feeling unknown.
I became a ghost in daylight,
a shadow people pass,
watching my world fall apart
like shattered, broken glass.
Some nights I beg the darkness
to tell me I still matter,
because carrying this pain alone
has slowly made me shatter.
But deep beneath the hurting,
beneath the fear and doubt,
there’s a quiet part still hoping
someone will reach out.
Not to fix the broken pieces
or magically make me whole,
but simply sit beside me
and remind me I have a soul.
Feeling unknown is a deeply personal experience that resonates with many of us at some point in life. Often, emotional pain goes unnoticed because it is silent; it doesn’t manifest with loud cries or visible wounds but remains tucked away behind smiles and daily routines. This poem poignantly expresses what it feels like to carry such an invisible burden—screaming without making a sound and feeling like a ghost among people. From my own experience, I have found that the most isolating moments come not when we are physically alone, but when we feel unseen even in a crowd. People may look at us, ask if we’re okay, yet quickly move on without truly staying to listen or offer support. This can leave us feeling more broken than before—like shattered glass slowly falling apart inside. The poem also touches on an essential truth: healing often does not come from others fixing us or erasing pain. Sometimes, the greatest act of kindness is simply sitting quietly beside someone, acknowledging their presence, and reminding them of their inherent worth and soul. This reminds me of the times when having a supportive friend who just listened without judgment helped me find strength amid darkness. If you or anyone you know feels like this—barely holding it together while silently aching—remember, you’re not alone. Many carry 'oceans in their chest' and those oceans may feel endless. But reaching out or being reached out to can be the quiet beginning of healing. Small gestures of presence and compassion can pierce the loneliness and start to mend what feels broken. Ultimately, this poem invites us all to be more attentive and compassionate—to look beyond the surface and recognize the unseen struggles within those around us. It is a call to wear empathy as a light in the daily crowd, ensuring no one feels truly unknown or invisible.
