Supportive smiles made across hallways

Kindly advice when mistakes are made

Defending repeated misteps to keep her going

And yet when the chance arises

She spreads vines of discord and poison

Beneath my feet, silent and painful

Aiming simply to harm and destroy

Carefully structured relationships

Tied by thin threads of trust.

My brain could not comprehend

The imbalance of repaying kindness with harm.

Now I understand the oftentime speech

About boundaries to protect oneself

As I place fallen stones one atop the other

To build a wall of protection around my heart.