As a child I was told, how I ought to behave,

that the doctrine of others, was what made me brave.

Within those confines, I did not flourish, nor grow,

my dreams became limited and desire could not flow.

I stumbled along blindly, trying to discern my own way,

ignoring intuition, found her words to be bray.

Mismatched with existence, at great odds with myself,

with no respect for my currency; the coinage of my wealth.

Although held by the moon, my fear swelled with each dawn,

my mind strangled freewill, saw any choice as a thorn.

It continually re-routed, just to champion its own plan,

thoughts blurring the edges, of where I ended or began.

For years this continued, for years I was lost…

For decades a mere puppet, until my own heart had been crossed.

And as the beating did stop, and all the pieces were shattered,

only then did I awake, to the reality of what mattered.

What a fool I had been, but no fool am I now!

There will never be another master, to whom I will bow.

My ache is my own, the true gift of existence,

my courage and self-worth, the real armour of persistence.