panoff@cmcl2.UUCP (04/17/84)
Not necessarily the first line. untitled I really don't recall Just when these walls Began To grow But then it surely Must have been quite Early in my years As tears brought on by fears (Rejection of affection) Fell, And in their fall A wall was seeded. All I needed Was a fortress Thick; So quickly (I was younger) I began To build Foundations wide And deep, And steep walls Which I piled high, Each brick On bitter brick, Cementing seams With dreams And memories; And trees I planted blocking sight Of night, And day, And sun, And moon, And soon So shielded from the world I turned inside To hide My tears, And fears, And hurts From others only for A lonely, waking thought has brought A sharp And aching pain: In vain I fortify this room And doom myself To spend Each day And minute In a cell with no one in it Save the only person who Has ever cursed or hurt me. While I wanted To be Free from fear, And fear of fear, I fear these walls Of stone themselves And he within them, Me.