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.