dangled

all his life at the rim of a cliff

hanging or being dangled

coarsened by exposure and fear

insecure, victimized

blaming because he would not

have chosen this for himself

never learning compassion

as none was given

never grasping empathy for never

safe to feel beyond his own terror

poor Bluffo, family history tells us

much except how to help you now or keep you from harm and harming

pity the child unsure

pity the child unsure of his own worth

whose defense is bluff, bluster, bullying

the child grows – tall if not up

still fearful without compassion

or even acknowledgement of others

still wielding bluff and bullying

but having outgrown the pity others

were willing to afford him as a child