The Castle

The corridors that twist endlessly, Passing through from here to there, They confuse the mind, And injure the soul. Words that are said, Can never be unsaid. Actions that are used, Can never be unused. The thoughts that you utter, Are harmful, Hurtful. They slice through flesh, Cut deep through skin and bone. They are the blades that we all possess. These tongues that are so marvelous, But so harmful at the same time. When we walk together, Through these halls that confine us, That keep us tied here through connections. Connections of promise, Money, Faith, Hope, Connections that make us scared to break them. What is this place, One may ask. It’s the place of learning, Where the only trolls that guard the rooms, Are the teachers. And the only warriors, Are the students. These mazes of halls and rooms, Are but the castle of death, And connections. The majority of our lives, Spent here, As we dodge the bludgeoning blows, From the clubs they hold, From the authority they use on us. The other warriors, The ones with the hurtful swords, The ones with the cutting tongues, The ones that laugh and snicker, Secretly hold back their own tears, Even as they laugh at yours. For we all, Feel alone sometimes. As if, No one wants us, No one loves us, No one wants to be us. It’s here that you bend, Or break. Survive, Or die. It’s here that you learn about yourself. How useless you are. How worthless your thoughts are. How much your body betrays you. The lies they tell you, Are the ones you will believe for the rest of your life. The lies you tell yourself. The ones where you say, “This is me.” “This is all I’ll ever be.” “Worthless.” “Stupid.” “Useless.” These are the most damaging. More damaging than the words of others, Are the words you tell yourself. This is the school, Castle of Learning, The place where all they tell you is, “Be yourself, yourself is good,” But yourself is not good enough. Not for the trolls, Not for the fighters, Not for the teachers, Not for the students, Not even for yourself.