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.