Justified

See that shadow there? It follows me It peeks around corners, watching For the next mistake I'll make It looms, a storm cloud, over my head Dripping acid in the form of words Every downfall, every flaw Spoken If I fall down, it falls with me Scathing insults spewing from that wretched mouth That reeks of hate and self pity And quivers in delight When I crumble Weak I can't ignore it It glows, red, in my line of sight Both before me and behind me My future and my past I walk on, trembling Through my present Doubting my own significance In this life I was put in Specifically I pick up my pace, stumbling Over thoughts that fly With no reign - reckless How easy it would be To let go Be free There's a noose up ahead A gun to my left A knife to my right Words in my head I can't keep up the fight I'm falling, faster, sinking Into a pool of expectations The surface is slick like glass That cuts deep, blindly Into flesh Raw I'm trying to hold my head Above the water, but then again I don't even care if I drown Especially here, in this place Full of denial and justification This town full of hate Full of people who scream To stop bullying Then turn around And hand it out Like candy To a child