Their words shell me

like machine gun fire

I pretend

they are mere raindrops

hitting my skin

I may not be pierced by

hot

metallic

words

but somehow they seep in

through

cool osmosis

and drip into the river

of my thoughts

I could drown in this

too deep

ever rushing

cascade of hate

but I learned how to

swim

I learned how to float

I am buoyant

upon their words

I sail

toward the shores of

strength

love

acceptance

where I stand

grounded

where the words merely

trickle by

and

slap against the rocks

against my soul

beyond that sound

is the machine gun fire

persistent

insistent

and I smile

resilient