The most difficult words to say
without reason nor rhyme
are “The failure is all mine.”
Even when failure brings such relief,
as the end succeeds the means,
it destroys our firm belief
in our omnipotence and grief,
and makes victims of us all
But victimhood is no more true
than the lie we tell ourselves
that we are better than you.
An un-truth we gleefully claim
to avoid our deepest shame
that we are not enough to win the game.
Shame is at the heart of every false start.
To admit we are in need leads
to greed and every evil deed,
while self-care falls aside
to save our wounded pride.
Shameful hurts grow in number day by day.
We build walls to keep them, and shame away.
Walls become our gaol as we hide ourselves inside.
Then, we blame those left behind and locked outside.
We are alone in our togetherness; together in our aloneness.
And the rest of the world marches on by.
Shame never takes a break, nor rests
while we destroy what and who we know are best.
That is the only way to win, and then we whine
with shrugs and say, “The failure is not mine.”
One cannot shame a bully more
than a bully shames himself.
annarino writes 