self esteem

i should have asked where the bottom was

rather than

how much farther there was to go

allowing the possibility for a makeshift gauge

leading to the recovery

of tenderness within

surviving on skin, running skin deep

yet creeping to unseen corners

places only good for hide and seek

these spaces fall short, chasing to catch pieces

cut down by words of weightless means

shrugging off leaves

with the eyes of cold trees

ones that walk chilling tightropes

while hunched spines

cradle bowed heads in humble defeat.

small mumbles under visible breaths

turning paper hearts into steel

now i am left to bandage bruises,

building back bridges of self esteem