Lingering Words

Years pass but the toxic, recurring echo remains heard Distasteful slurs and horrid remarks fill in every last crack and crevasse Plastering together an utterly repulsive vision of yourself Displeasingly seen through your very own tainted heart and mind. Lingering words feast upon vulnerability and unfaced fear The unruly poisonous parrot squawks Telling of your torturous bullied and picked on past Plucking at the deepest insecurities you fail to hide and overcome. Brightly neon colored to capture mass attention Capturing and dismantling your ability to think for yourself Slowly but surely the bullies from your past own your identity Lingering words formed through high school envy Stuck playing on an agonizing loop for excruciating eternity. Maybe one day you will stop feeding the poisonous parrot with self-doubt Begin poisoning the lingering words with self-appreciation and hard-earned success. January 9, 2019 Plucking The Poisonous Parrot Poetry Contest Sponsored by: Maureen McGreavy