they were wrong to teach us
that childhood mantra,
for in truth, words do hurt us.
the peers watching us while
giggling behind their hands, might
as well be shouting 'loser!'
the friend who suddenly shares
all those secret fears and doubts
with folks i barely know, breaks
my heart into a million pieces like
Humpty falling off that wall.
and the family member who
cannot seem to be able to keep
from bringing up that epic fail
every time we gather for holidays
keeps ripping the scab
off my soul, just when i think
it is finally starting to heal.
(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman
Venmo: @Thom-Shuman
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