No matter the torment
No matter the ridicule
No matter the embarrassment
No matter the inner worthlessness
There was always someone worse off than me.
For so long that fact was my lot
I lived a life with a poisonous witch
Who revelled in daily torment
She’d say I was inadequate, inept, inhuman
My children, she said suffered for me as a father.
There were days when no one could be worse off then me.
One day I took stock of my circumstance
I realised my plight was my fate
And as dire as it was from day to day
At times I didn’t think there was any other way
But logic told me there had to be someone worse off than me.
So I took heart in knowing that
There might be a way, to end all of this
I lived a life sacrificing my soul
Protecting those who needed to be
Suffering for them, as they should never
Knowing always my fate could be worse.
So no matter how bad, how depressed I got
I knew there would soon come a day
When a simple solution would show me the way
I stepped bravely out through the front door.
There is always someone worse off than me.
Written for: http://pookypoetry.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/poetry-prompt-39-life-lesson
Morpethroad 
So true and well written, Michael. It is sad to read what you had to go through however 😦
Thank you Cheryl-Lynn it was my lot in life and I am who I am because of it.
…ah, wise words indeed, Michael.
Stepping away is hard but necessary some times. Glad you opened the door.
Thank you Jenny, so am I.
It’s a shame when others don’t realize our true worth. Glad you stepped through the front door Michael. No one should live a life as that. I know.
Thank you Jackie that decision changed my life forever and I am so pleased I did.
You are an amazing man, Michael.
Well Mandy I am who I am, so thank you for your lovely comment.
Adversity either makes us bitter or stronger. In your case Michael, I think you could lift a 500kg barbell.
Ha….I was once an 8 stone weakling Lyn. Old age teaches you resilience Lyn without it life is not so good.
There’s nothing as powerful as writing that comes from the heart. A courageous and moving poem, Michael.
Thank you Karen, trust your weekend has gone well.
Played with my 15 month old nephew this afternoon. You will understand how much fun those times are, Michael. Hope your long weekend was as good?
My long weekend was about a new gchild born on Friday. Yes 15 month olds are a lot of fun. Sounds like you had fun.
I really like the gut feeling in this poem. I could feel it as I read it.
However, I do think we can beat ourslves up too much. We are allowed our own pain even if we know there are others worse off. I feel the feelings in your poem about my MS. It doesnt matter how many are worse off I still feel my pain and you feel yours.I think its about balance, knowing it could be worse and being grateful for what we have but also allowing the pain we feel to simply “be” sometimes. x
Thanks that’s a great comment I agree with you about simply ‘being’. I like that.
You may not have seen it at the time… But that other person was an obvious example of someone being worse off than you. Imagine living with that soul. No thank you….
In hindsight RoSy I agree she was far worse off, still is in so many ways.