☆°▪︎ THE PAIN THAT STILL REMAINS ▪︎°☆

The

taunting

echoes

still

haunt

me

.

.

d

o

w

n

.

.

those

reminiscent

halls . . .

.

.

.

a

n

d

don’t

.

y

o

u

.

know

.

I

.

wish

sometimes,

.

.

I

.

.

could

make

.

t

h

o

s

e

.

memories

small . . .

.

.

.

 ~ don’t

.

y

o

u

.

know

.

I

.

wish

sometimes,

.

.

I

.

.

could

forgive

.

a

n

d

.

forget

.

i

t

.

all . . .

.

.

.

f

o

r

.

.

.

I

.

know

.

w

e

.

were

.

m

u

c

h

.

younger

within

.

t

h

o

s

e

.

walls . . .

.

.

.

a

n

d

that

.

w

e

.

walked

.

b

a

c

k

.

then,

.

.

s

o

.

.

awkward

.

i

n

.

our

flaws . . .

.

.

.

 ~ we

walked

.

s

o

.

awkward

.

i

n

.

our

flaws . . .

.

.

.

b

u

t

as

.

I

.

stroll

past

.

t

h

o

s

e

.

memories,

.

.

t

h

e

.

.

wounds

.

t

o

o

.

deep

.

t

o

.

heal,

begin

.

t

o

.

burn

.

a

n

d

.

bleed . . .

.

.

.

They

burn

.

a

n

d

.

bleed . . .

.

.

.

They

burn

.

a

n

d

.

bleed . . .

.

.

.

They

burn

.

a

n

d

.

bleed . . .

.

.

.

a

n

d

make

.

m

e

.

feel

.

t

o

o

.

strange

.

t

o

.

engage . . .

.

.

.

a

n

d

too

strange

.

t

o

.

offer

even

.

a

.

cool

embrace . . .

.

.

.

 ~ I

feel

.

t

o

o

.

strange

.

t

o

.

engage . . .

.

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

.

too

strange

.

t

o

.

embrace . . .

.

.

.

s

o

.

.

.

I

pretend

.

n

o

t

.

to

recall:

.

.

.

the

faces . . .

.

.

.

the

names . . .

.

.

.

a

n

d

the

aches . . .

.

.

.

f

r

o

m

yesterday . . .

.

.

.

s

o

.

.

.

I

turn

away . . .

.

.

.

I

turn

away . . .

.

.

.

f

r

o

m

the

pain

.

t

h

a

t

.

still

remains . . .

.

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

.

I

search

.

f

o

r

.

a

.

more

brotherly,

sisterly

place . . .

.

.

.

where

.

I

.

won’t

.

f

e

e

l

.

this

way . . .

.

.

.

 ~ where

.

I

.

won’t

.

f

e

e

l

.

this

way . . .

.

.

.

today.

Reflection: This was a forgotten but powerful personal struggle-themed poem I wrote back in August of 2002 where the affected party is haunted by and cannot escape the ugly hurt and shame experienced in the past. This poem was based on personal experiences from my childhood days. I wish I could just forgive and forget but have come to realize that is not always possible – because at times we continue feeling hurt and awkward around certain people in our lives.