The monster lurked around every corner

Stealing fun and building moats in which to propagate

Its path left littered with destruction

Leaving non-healing wounds and life altering barriers

Impossible to exterminate successfully once given a start

The roots lie deep and grip one’s very soul

Are nurtured with the trusted love of infancy

And fertilized with multiple sources of well meaning intentions

Disguised behind the good

It feeds on love, heritage, religion and tradition

Destroying individual esteem unnoticed

Then devouring positive futures one at a time

The good turns to rot bit by bit

Until it is accepted as normal

It is a handy tool necessary for building

And used frequently to polish character

But when overdone it weaves itself into one’s being

To takeover will and steal  joy

Snuff out  talent and altar one’s fruitful journey

Until one becomes so filled that it consumes all

It is important not to help its cause

For although it may be invisible

It is everywhere and is devastating to confront

Eventually it becomes the monster that forever sleeps under the bed