You wouldn't know it

By looking at me

By talking to me

By befriending me

But I am.

You wouldn't know it

And you wouldn't be alone

She, surprised, gradually accepting:

I'm so quiet

Unassuming

Friendly

Happy

Charismatic

You'd never know

They, surprised, eventually condemning:

I'm so quiet

Unassuming

Friendly

Happy

Charismatic

But you'd never know

I speak, of course, of birds and bees

But not of "birds and bees":

I speak of birds

versus

bees.

But,

They do not matter.

Looking at the flower,

You'd never know which to praise

(or which to blame)

We love.

It does not matter which is which.

It is, itself, a flower in the garden

Of me

Of you

One of many

One of a kind

Eventually, you notice it

Smile at its brilliance

Move on

On its own,

Insignificant.

I do not care if you are

Or are not

But if you try to shove it down my throat

I will resent you for it.

Just because I am

Does not make me less.

(This, we know.)

Just because I don't

Blazon it across my forehead

Announce it to the world

Expect to be applauded

Does not make me less.

(This, we've yet to learn.)

By my looks

By my words

By my actions

By my things

You wouldn't know.

That's the point.