Driven To Excellence

The warm, chocolate gaze in your eyes, 
promises safety, love and home.
Laughter lives in there, too, but also pain,
and mysteries of unknown size.
While quick with a smile or a laugh
and born to protect,
at times, when unguarded, your face reveals
heartaches, kept hidden away.
On rare occasions, a word will be spoken
and a glimpse into the pain is shared.
Callous, ignorant remarks made to a small 
impressionable child.
Scars carried over time through the years.
Shaping. Molding. Into the man you became.
Even as an adult, racial slurs slung absently about
by so called educated men.
Always driven to do better, be better than everyone else,
because of one thing.
Always harder on yourself than anyone else.
Driven to excellence by prejudice.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2011

Poem

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Monteblanco Avatar
August 4, 2011 at 2:58 PM
Wow! This is pretty deep. Great write and good luck in the IPC.
Montgomery Avatar
August 4, 2011 at 10:13 PM
Thank you very much for reading and for commenting. I appreciate the well wishes, too.
Brown Avatar
August 3, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Congratulations on your poetry making it through round one in the PoetrySoup International Poetry contest Peggy. I wish you the best in the final round. Love, Carol
Montgomery Avatar
August 3, 2011 at 3:33 PM
I had no idea it was even in the international poetry contest.... I guess I had better pay more attention!! Wow. This poem is so personal to me, it is truly an honor!!
Brown Avatar
July 5, 2011 at 6:40 AM
Congratulations on your poetry being featured this week Peggy. May your poetry bring inspiration to others as they read it. Love, Carol
Montgomery Avatar
July 5, 2011 at 7:19 AM
Thank you so much, Carol. It was a very pleasant surprise, indeed. :)
Brown Avatar
February 9, 2011 at 10:50 AM
Welcome to poetrySoup Peggy. I know this is a late welcome but, I have some very pressing matters going on at the present time. I hope to be back and at full speed in the next couple of weeks. Until then please keep writing and sharing your poetry. Love, Carol
Mehta Avatar
January 30, 2011 at 2:39 PM
You have penned good expressions on Driven to Excellence, Peggy
Sweetheart Avatar
January 30, 2011 at 1:52 PM
Welcome to Poetry Soup.. so enjoyed reading your creative write tonight ... hope your time on Soup will be fun and filled with sharing.. check out our contests too... good luck with luv..
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