I let you define who I am
The waves of your opinion
splash out of your every word & action
onto the essence of me,
washing away all I may have esteemed in myself
with the fear of your disgust, your disapproval, your departure ...
I let you shape me.
The wind of your every prepossession
pelted against me sands of disdain,
eventually eroding away my own impressions of life.
I let you reduce me.
The fire of your critical appraisal
smolders in my soul,
incinerating bit by bit my vision of who I am...
until for protection,
I crawl away to hide a while
from your harshest elements.