The
.
taunting
.
echoes
.
s
t
i
l
l
.
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
.
.
much
.
younger
.
w
i
t
h
i
n
.
those
.
walls . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
that
.
w
e
.
walked
.
b
a
c
k
.
then,
.
.
s
o
.
.
awkward
.
i
n
.
our
.
flaws . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ so
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
.
a
.
c
o
o
l
.
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
.
m
o
r
e
.
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.