Severed Bonds

I cut people off like split ends,

Severing bonds with loved ones and friends,

For life's too fleeting, too short to waste,

On those whose scars refuse to fade.

One scar, one wrong move or one mistake

Is already a lot more than I am willing to take

I cut people off like split ends,

My heart, a fortress of defense,

Built on pride and false pretense,

Rejecting love, at every turn,

As the bridges of trust crash and burn.

I cut people off like split ends,

A self-preserving habit that defends,

Against those who bring me down,

Who make my smile turn to a frown.

For pride is a fragile thing,

One mistake can make it sting,

And though I strive to be kind,

Harsh words can cause an irreversible decline.

So, I protect my pride at all cost,

No matter the bridges I must have lost,

For one mistake can already make,

My overflowing cup spill and break.

It's a self-preservation technique,

To guard my heart from any critique,

But it's a lonely place to be,

Without the comfort of community.

Sometimes I wish I could let go,

And let the love and kindness show,

But fear and pride hold me back,

Leaving me on an unsteady track.

Perhaps it's time for me to learn,

That one mistake should not be a concern,

For grace and forgiveness can heal,

And a broken cup can always be made whole with zeal.