here i sit in bravado bluster

so in need of courage to muster

always ran and did not try

afraid to fall afraid to cry

did not reach out as feared rejection

too involved in self inspection

did not feel i was advantageous

lack of self esteem might be contagious

all this time i hid my humor

feeling like some unwanted tumor

now i must try to move by an inch

keep on going even  if i flinch

'