I would avoid the eyes of strangers afraid of what they’d find,

afraid that I’d offend them with the darkness of my mind

I would close my eyes to lovers to hide away my shame,

convinced by heart their tenderness was never mine to claim.



A fraud was I, a thief at night, a broken empty jaw of fright,

caught up in my own delight, forging some pre-emptive right…



Until one day I paused to meet a strangers eyes

and saw in them an honesty that lies beyond disguise

They touched me with a wisdom, compassionate and clear,

a source of light much greater than the shadows of my fear