*Laurie Kolp Poetry*

You Will Never Measure Up
by Laurie Kolp

She heard the words so many times
that they became real to her,
“You will never measure up,”
to what, she wondered,
some imaginary line in the sky,
or is it that she was not
as perfect as her big brother?
“You will never measure up,”
is that what they really said,
or was she imagining the worse,
obsessing on her own failure
to live up to the standards
she set for herself?
“You will never measure up.”
Were the reactions they had to
her misfortunes in life
indicative of what they
really wanted to say,
those words that ate at her very soul,
“You will never measure up,”
bringing her to her knees time and time again?
She believed the words they never said
because they did not have to-
their disappointed looks and sneers
were enough to make her believe,
“You will never measure up.”