Don’t let it in

 

An infant births, attempts to feed

A toddler watches, attempts to reach

A child comprehends, attempts to imitate

All attempt, fall then attempt again

Their minds alert

Their minds ready to try and learn

To fail and learn

The guardian stands tall, smiles and urges on

Attempts build confidence, ambitions gain strength

 The world is an oyster,

It is then explored; it is experienced

Years pass on

Novelty wears off

The child grows into a person

The person is now the one

With doubts, flaws and no-shows

 As the one attempts to thread a needle to embroider a fine silk,

To navigate a new car out on the road

To put pen on paper

A shadow peeps from the sleeve,

Its grisly red eyes condemning, admonishing the very effort

Struggle to dust it away for it crawls into the mind

Eats into ideas and shatters self-confidence

Criticism, you evil oppressor!

You spew venom before an idea can rise and flourish

The seed of doubt though dormant is now watered

In the creases of the mind wherein lies a grain of hope and of self-doubt

Criticism, crushes the hope, breeds the self-doubt

You let criticism in, you kill your skill

Kill the creations the future yet to behold

Stay strong, Let it sing

But don’t you let it get you

Flood it with your ideas, blinden it with your vision

Don’t you let it in

Let it parch on the confines of your mind,

Shine your ideas on the darkness, let it fade

Shine away

Think more

Create more

In the creases of the mind wherein lies a grain of hope and of self-doubt

You let one grow, you let one die