Restrained No More

I would not dance before others because I thought

I had two left feet, gracefulness was not

My strong suit, I would be embarrassingly bad

Neither innate ability nor training in dance I had..

*

I did not paint because the brush did not appear

To co-operate with me, botching up a painting was my fear

I had no aptitude for or the patience to train

As an artist, so from creating artwork I would refrain..

*

I read voraciously but never did write

I could not think of ideas fresh and bright

Writers were a special breed, and I could not be

A part of that distinguished fraternity..

*

I wonder why I had imposed so many restraints

On myself, why I had consciously refrained

From dancing, painting, writing for so long

In artistic spheres I never thought I belonged

Until I saw other amateurs trying their hands

At creative endeavors- I began to understand

That while I would never excel at activities such as those

I could still attempt to participate in them, therefore I chose

To shake a leg at the next gathering, I let go

Of my inhibitions, I let movement flow

Since then I have danced at every opportunity

I do not care about looking awkward or silly

Similarly I paint when inspired, despite the lack of skill

My imperfect brushstrokes a deep longing within me fill

And I write, put on paper my thoughts

Even though a published writer I am not..

*

I freed myself from the restraints I had placed

On myself, and a whole world of possibilities embraced