I felt defeated for so long
that the prospect of winning
never entered my mind.

I automatically assumed
that I would come out with
the short end of the stick.

The notion of the long straw,
the biggest piece of pie,
first place, was alien to me.

I'd heard for years that I wasn't
strong enough, clever enough.
tough enough to succeed.

I'm laughing now, at you
who chose to belittle me, rather
than encourage me.

You see, I am strong.
I am clever.
I am tough.

I had to be, to get
past all you said over the years.

You were afraid of the real me -
deliberately unkind to hide your
weakness and sap my energy.

I have succeeded - maybe not in net
worth, but in overcoming the
hurdles that you placed before me.

I have a strength that you will
never know - a strength of character,
of determination, of perseverance.

That net worth thing? What does
money matter to me, now that
I have my self?

And you have yours -
my condolences go out to
the loser of this game.

01/20/2005

Author's Note: I'm not bitter...

Posted on 01/20/2005
Copyright © 2024 Heide McAlister-Bates