Judge Not By What Makes Us Small

Judge not by what makes us small
Or smaller we become
A canon of self-inflicted strife
Measures our self worth
A mirror distorted by the heat of
Jealousy, self-loathing, paranoia, and fear
Casts images of truth and untruth
Truth distorted
Untruth reflected
Not simply by lies
But by silence and deflection
While wisdom is confused with
Analysis, prognostication, apology and spin
And truth is mistaken for reality
Which is simply real, but not immutable
Unless smaller we become as
Truth finally resembles the reality
Inflicted on ourselves and each other
By our smallness

Judge by what makes us thrive
And we will,
Or have a fighting chance