“When people do not respect us we are sharply offended; yet in his private heart no man much respects himself.” ~Mark Twain

Confronted

A fascinating thing occurs
When others do confront
Ego puts up defenses
When we hear truth that’s blunt

When we’re alone, we’re well aware
We are far from perfect
But when there’s someone else around
The ego goes unchecked

Suddenly we do no wrong
And those who are candid
Make us feel with their review
Like cow being branded

We feel put on the spot and are
Afraid they know the truth
We say things like “You don’t know me!”
And start to lose our couth

The fear is that the things we think
Are most imperative
Are really insignificant
For what we need to live

I’ve heard from hundreds who have said
“Your rhymes are truth to me”
And many times they did not fill
The reader with much glee

They did not feel all warm and fuzzy
Like when they have read
A sugar-sweet one-liner where
Not one tough truth is said

You’ll never get control of your
Ego with head in sand
Confrontation need’nt be
Battled like your last stand

Take a breath and listen to
The pounding in your chest
The buzzing in your brain that’s making
You feel oh so stressed

Forget about the person that
You think has brought this on
Only for a moment pretend
That they are now gone

And look within to see the true
Culprit which brought you stress
The two-faced ego which before
When alone did confess

To you that you are not perfect
That you have made mistakes
That you are riddled with regret
And don’t have what it takes

It’s those who do not shy away
From confronting ego
That finally do break its grip
And learn, evolve and grow

They do not let it control them
Instead, it’s on their chain
Fully under control so that
Peace and grace can reign

                              ~Miro