They ask, "How do you feel?"You struggle for a word, locked behind doors, behind walls, behind egoOne syllable words flow with passive aggression and you’ve learned that “okay” is your favorite answerYou say that they do not need to knowBut emotion is asking for the permission to be voicedPermission to rebound from closed off vocal chords but you have not given the say soYou are shut off, numbed off from the reality that you have not told the truth for a long timeYou have gone through the motions and now you are stagnant watersA pool of water stuck under night and sun, rain and light, dirt and grime, anger and joy, testing and time A pool clouded by your own emotionThere is time for the truthFor gates to open using bravery pushing through to meet your wordsStrength to spew out darkness from deep chasms and bring the light into dark placesTo haul your pain into the visible space where you are, where you live, where you breathe and see dayThat is where emotion asks for your permissionPermission to be felt and said and processedPermission to be healedTo be turned from raw mineral into jewels, you must allow for the exposureFor your emotion to touch GodTo touch heavenTo be held in the hands of SaviorTo be more than adjectives floating aimlessly through your headTo be more than a struggle for speech, behind doors, behind walls, behind egoTo be more than just “okay”You say that they do not need to knowBut they do and you know itTrapped behind your mask, you’ve shown it all beforeYou have a chance to let go to stagnant waterSo again, "How Do You Feel?"- Victoria Angelique