I would rather be lonely
than live in a world
where everyone smiles
but nobody means it.
A world
where kindness is performed,
friendship is convenient,
and “I’m here for you”
has an expiry date.
I would rather walk alone
under an honest sky
than walk beside people
who only stay
because they need something from me.
Being lonely hurts.
But loneliness
never asks me to pretend.
It never tells me
to hide my sadness
behind a smile
just to make others comfortable.
This world teaches us
to look happy,
to sound fine,
to keep moving
as if nothing ever breaks inside us.
And everyone plays along.
We shake hands.
We exchange smiles.
We ask, “How are you?”
without really wanting to know.
Sometimes I wonder
how many people
are surrounded by thousands
and still feel completely unseen.
Maybe that is
the cruelest kind of loneliness.
Not having nobody,
but having everybody
and still having no one.
So if the world
expects me to become
another actor in its performance,
I would rather step away.
Let me be lonely.
Let me sit with my silence.
Let me hear my own thoughts.
Let me remain honest
even when honesty leaves me alone.
Because I would rather
have an empty room
with a truthful heart
than a crowded world
where every smile
is hiding a lie.
I am not afraid of being lonely.
I am afraid of becoming fake
just to never be alone.
-
Author:
Dev parth (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: September 18th, 2026 19:04
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 8
Offline)
Comments3
Nicely said Dev this poem speaks of sincerity and being oneself where others are honest as well. Nicely done.
Thank you, sorenbarrett. I really appreciate your kind words. Remaining sincere and true to oneself was exactly the core message I wanted to convey with this piece.
My pleasure my friend
You express yourself well .
And true … it’s lonely when you feel invisible around people .
Though Some people do want to know how others are .. their not just saying it .
Everything isn’t fake
Thank you for reading and sharing your perspective. You make a very valid point there are certainly genuine people out there who truly care. Sometimes the performative side of the world just feels a bit overwhelming, but I agree we shouldn't lose sight of the authentic connections.
There are genuine people out there , yeah ) that’s ok
A raw critique of what passes for caring interaction in large swathes of the population. I understand completely. Had precisely your thoughts (though expressed less poetically) intermittently for most of my life. However I must agree with Caring Dove (above); her statement is the closest you will get to truth round here.
Turn your thoughts to what you want out of life and go for it . You will find folks on the same journey whom you can relate to.
(Sorry – I don’t usually dispense advice like that, but in this case I felt an urgent need to do so.)
I appreciate you taking the time to share your own experience and advice. It means a lot to know these thoughts resonate with someone else who has felt the same way. You and Caring Dove are absolutely right about focusing on the journey and finding those authentic folks along the way. Thank you for the encouragement!
To be able to comment and rate this poem, you must be registered. Register here or if you are already registered, login here.