I just can't

You're so beauti- NO just stop, I can't, I can't take compliments. They echo like ghosts in my head, Whispering doubts, filling me with dread. In a world of praise, I feel out of place, Each kind word a reminder of my own disgrace. I shrink away from the light they shed, For fear that it will expose the truth I dread. I'm not worthy of the words they say, Inadequacy haunting me every day. So please, spare me your kind intent, For I can't bear the weight of your compliment. But beneath this facade of modesty, Lies a soul craving validation desperately. Behind every "no" is a silent plea, For someone to see the real me. So when you offer praise, don't turn away, But understand the words I cannot say. For beneath the surface of this fragile shell, Lies a heart longing to hear "You're doing well!"