through all our life experience
to weather the storms
we wear a little bit
of everyone we've ever known.


one look inside their brilliance
we are at once made warm
harbored within their comfort
they render us safe from harm.


yet under the thumb of their judgement
into the hollow pit we are thrown
trapped victims of their scorn and wit
we suffer their fears to be shown.


though we permit the wrath of their
ignorance
to carry our souls far past the norm.

we share the joy in their hearts
with them and love it.
without them,

we surely would never have grown.

Copyright 2006 Pierre Ortega