a small boy cries,
victim of chiildren's cruel taunts
a loner, no one to comfort him
he learns to hide the pain
they look for new victims
the armor is begun
older now, but still the different one
he suffers silently for being different
still alone, still afraid
he learns to deny the pain
they grow bored and look for easier prey
the armor thickens
an adult now. alone in the crowd
he suffers the agonies of seeing love while he has none
now fearing emotions for the pain they bring
he learns to hide from love
rebuffed, they look elsewhere for friends
the armor is done
SHE enters his life, confusion reigns
he wants her, he needs her
but to have her, he must remove the armor
yet to remove it is death, pain unending
he knows this, for so it has always been
finally, he decides
He opens the armor, to await
deathblow or embrace?
no matter, death is better
than life without love