an archers shot

i want to tell them what i need to say
but i cant express my true thoughts
why cant i throw down the guards?
when i say it, though,
opinions fly like arrows
and miss the poised apples
instead pierce my vulnerable flesh
why dont they support what i need to say?
is this why the guards line up
and fill the turrets?
the image clouded
by smears from my swooping hand
reasons why i try to be
un-opinionated 
when someone else needs to speak out most
because i am not an archer
and i wish they would choose other professions 
because their defensive retorts
only make them feel better
and just barely

lesson

i hope my words make a difference
in someone's life
although the impact
of my being gone
might be heartbreak
or not
i wish to 
stamp 
a lesson
for life
even though i may not know much
i could still make a difference