Written 12 May 2026 for 1471 Poetry Contest sponsored by Brian Strand
a carefully curated posture shoulders back, chin high bathed in self assurance wearing a veil of confidence thinking can sway the earth always at centre of stage fishing for recognition taking inflated credits for success bragging of achievements fancy knowing all not inclined to learn to avow mistakes self-conceited sense of self- importance holding themselves in the sky others as inferior on low ground heart turned to stone seeking own gains rooted in self exhaltation raising own ranks heeding not what others think words chosen like precious stones each syllable weighed polished, and displayed for admiring eyes speaking of journeys never taken of battles fought in hushed rooms victories whispered to an invisible court laughter too loud too bright a manufactured chime to mask silence that would otherwise reveal hollowness within inhabiting a rarefied air where common ground is but a place they condescend to visit a fleeting curiosity before returning to their peak building castles on fleeting sands fortified with opinions that echo their own voice a fortress of ego impenetrable sadly, alone constant striving not for growth but for image reflecting in lake that never ripples always perfect ever staged in quiet moments when performance falters when mask slips a flicker of doubt a tremor of fear reveals the fragile soul beneath the regal facade soon curtain rises spotlight finds its mark and the curated posture steps back into place the perfect illusion restored once more.
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