strangers and failure

having a room full of strangers

loudly rooting for your failure

makes insecurity greater

and makes your self-esteem staler

when you already have this

habitual self-critic

that’s being vidicated

it’s harder to erase it

and when you come back home later

no one notices you’re paler

nobody to see the straight hurt

but you guess it doesn’t matter

you’re forced to keep it inside

you’re hiding in plain sight

and the worst part of all

is having no one to catch your fall

but persistence means resistance

and insistence means distinguished

strength and endurance

and a self-motivated assurance

because your harshest critic is yourself

but you’re really the only one to help