I never told you what I thought,
swallowed concrete words wisdom taught.
Layers of bricks created walls,
that made my self esteem shrink small.
You never knew how hard I fought,
the somber pain your actions brought.
Sharp looks that made my insides crawl,
loud lingered laughter chased my falls.
Got tired of feeling distraught,
pushed away all the fears I caught.
Inflictions bounced off like a ball,
stopped running to your every call.
Searched deep within, found true support,
an inner love became my fort.
Self care and strength helped me stand tall,
found confidence so light can sprawl.
– Grace Y. Estevez – Reddy