She was afraid of attention
afraid of speaking in class
afraid of taking part
She knew Shakespeare plays by heart
She had a voice of a nightingale
But because of her fears, she would never take the stage
'Loser' her mother called her
'How can you be a loser?'
'I'm not a loser!' she would cry
But her mother said nothing in reply.
'Loser' her father called her
'Why can't you face your fears?'
'How does it matter?' Her father glared
while she would be in tears.
'Loser' he classmates called her
'She's such a loser'
While she would say nothing,
looking away she would say, 'I'm no loser.'
'Loser' her friend called her
'Why won't you wake and see?
My friend you lost to your fears.
Is this how you'll always be?'
'Loser' she asked herself
'Am I really a loser?'
Not until she lost herself
did she become a loser.
