A Hard Lesson Poem by Jim Yerman

It's a scary, helpless feeling being bullied.
You feel like the biggest coward the world has ever seen…
If you have ever been bullied…you know exactly what I mean.

I was a whole lot younger when a bully took my money every day
and the guilt and sadness I felt back then has never gone away.

I never told my friends or family…I was too ashamed
and though his face pops from my memory every now and then…
I long ago forgot his name..

But I'll never forget how he made me feel…and all he took from me
for not only did he steal my money…he stole my dignity.

He made me feel weak and frightened…and I am still appalled
at how he made me feel inferior…how he made me feel small.

So when I see bullies out there today
with guns, with intimidation…searching for respect they have not earned…
I'd like to share a little wisdom about bullies I have learned:

Bullies prey on our weaknesses and in doing so they think they've won
but a bully will back down when we stand together as one.

Because despite how they portray themselves…
a bully is not strong, or confident…or wise
a bully is just a coward…the bully is his disguise.

So I will stand with anyone standing tall
for Black Lives Matter…
for Native Americans…for women
for anyone oppressed or bullied…in this land…
having finally learned a lesson
it took me 50 years to understand.