Poem: black sheep of the family (haiku in 7 variations)

Seoul Sister, ,

1)

When being yourself

Black sheep of the family

That’s like hell on earth

2)

A natural journey

Like salmon swimming upstream

You fight the current

3)

Just being yourself

Gets you lectured and judged and

Manipulated

4)

It affects your trust

Your sense of self-confidence

Your sense of self-worth

5)

By the family

Who surrounded you with blame

As if they’re helping

6)

Controllers are blind

Their judgements aren’t factual

They view through tunnels

7)

I’m tired of them

The harm they do, they call love

That’s why I leave them.

9 Comments

    1. Hi Sylvester, thank you very much💖. I love your comment, it’s both kind and insightful. I’m experiencing a whirlwind of shame that I didn’t follow my family’s wishes and never made my mom proud, after I left my childhood home. I have to accept myself as I am though, you’re right. Guilt does no good. I didn’t try to hurt my family on purpose, but who I naturally am, disappoints them. I have to just accept that and stop criticizing myself, because it’s pointless.

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      1. Hi, Judy, you’re very welcome. Like I’ve said, I appreciate your open and honest post. Just trying to provide a little encouragement for you not to be so hard on yourself. You’re right, you didn’t try to hurt them on purpose, only following who you were becoming.

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      2. It helps to have confirmation, family can often think they’re helping with criticism. My family think that if you’d don’t agree, you’re against them/wrong/selfish.

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      3. Sometimes even constructive criticism can be detrimental. Who could possibly survived under constant criticism and we shouldn’t be forced to be anyone other than ourselves.

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