The Forced Hugs and Hidden Silence

Quiet in the corner of our room, in our own world we stay,
When suddenly the door opens, and guests are on their way.
Mom says—"Go outside, and greet everyone with a smile,"
We say—"Please leave us alone, let us be for a while."
They say—"Go give a hug, and talk with grace,"
We say—"We are suffocating in this crowded place."
Dragged into the circle of relatives, forced to pretend,
With every fake smile, a piece of us comes to an end.
They call it good manners, and traditions to uphold,
None of them see how deep our emptiness is cold.
We don't want to talk, we don't want to play along,
Yet we are forced to wear a mask where we don't belong!
They want us to look good in the eyes of the crowd,
While in this show of pretense, our true voices are bowed.
Oh, just grant this little freedom to our tired soul,
Instead of forcing fake hugs, let our real silence make us whole!