THE MAN OF PURITY #poetry by jay

They say shame 
lives quietly
under the skin

piercing pins
needling at
your humanity

and fondling
the inside
of your
self-esteem

shame, they say
prevents movement
freedom 

a jail-keeper
a prison guard
mocking at
your door

I turned 
my skin 
inside out
to escape 

the pain
of less-er than
you or him

you know
who I mean
THE MAN
of purity

who belittles my kin.

© Jay Mora-Shihadeh

Photo by Sabine van Straaten on Unsplash