Soulful Empathy

I wish someone had told me long ago That empathy comes with a caveat, you know It's not all about putting yourself in their shoes And accepting the hurt they pass on to you It's about understanding their pain and strife And seeing why they lead a troubled life But it's also about knowing when to draw the line And not sacrificing your boundaries, which are yours and mine For when we do that, we become a safe house For all the demons that haunt and rouse From within the ones we try to empathize with And end up becoming their punching mitt Their scars and wounds may be deep and raw But they have no right to hurt you with their claws And though they may not know how to heal You cannot be their constant shield For if you keep giving them excuses and room To keep spreading their darkness and gloom They'll never learn to do better, to rise And you'll only be left with silent cries So let empathy be a two-part tale Of understanding and boundaries that never fail Let us learn to be compassionate yet bold And never let our own worth be sold.